S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4141
 
                        2023-2024 Regular Sessions
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                             February 3, 2023
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen. SANDERS -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
 
 AN ACT establishing the New York state commission on  economic  inequal-
   ity, equal opportunity, and competitiveness
 
   THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
 
   Section 1. Legislative intent. It shall be  the  policy  of  New  York
 state  to work toward reducing economic inequality, eliminating poverty,
 achieving equal opportunity and full employment, and  boosting  economic
 competitiveness  and growth for the purpose of justice, equality, democ-
 racy, fairness, the general welfare, and strengthening  the  economy  of
 New York state.
   §  2.  A temporary state commission, to be known as the New York state
 commission on economic inequality, equal opportunity,  and  competitive-
 ness,  is  hereby created to investigate, evaluate, and make recommenda-
 tions concerning how to work toward, in New York state, reducing econom-
 ic inequality, eliminating poverty, achieving equal opportunity and full
 employment, and boosting economic competitiveness and growth.
   § 3. (a) The commission shall consist  of  seventeen  members,  to  be
 appointed as follows:  nine members to be appointed by the governor, one
 of  whom shall be the chair; three members to be appointed by the tempo-
 rary president of the senate; one member appointed by the minority lead-
 er of the senate; three members appointed by the speaker of  the  assem-
 bly; and one member appointed by the minority leader of the assembly.
   (b)  The  members  of the commission shall receive no compensation for
 their services, but shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses
 incurred in the performance of their duties under this act. The  commis-
 sion  may  employ  and  at pleasure remove such personnel as it may deem
 necessary for the performance of its functions  and  fix  their  compen-
 sation within the amounts made available by appropriation therefor.
   § 4. The commission shall investigate:
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD05952-01-3
              

 S. 4141                             2
 
   (a)  How to work toward reducing economic inequality in New York state
 by exploring various topics, including but not limited to:
   (1) income inequality;
   (2) wealth inequality;
   (3) the shrinking middle class;
   (4) impacts of the Great Recession;
   (5) impacts of tax policy and other related policies;
   (6) minimum wage, wage policies and workers' bargaining power; and
   (7)  the  economic and social impact of economic inequality, including
 as it relates to race, class, gender, age, national origin,  and  sexual
 orientation.
   (b)  How to work toward eliminating poverty in New York state by exam-
 ining various topics, including but not limited to:
   (1) class, race, gender, and poverty;
   (2) homelessness;
   (3) children and families in poverty;
   (4) senior citizens;
   (5) education;
   (6) nutrition and health;
   (7) alcohol and drug addiction;
   (8) criminal justice;
   (9) safety nets; and
   (10) employment.
   (c) How to work toward achieving equal opportunity in New  York  state
 by examining various topics, including but not limited to:
   (1) class, race, gender, and equal opportunity;
   (2) employment;
   (3) education;
   (4) access to capital; and
   (5)  access  to housing, loans, transportation, banking, insurance and
 various economic areas.
   (d) How to work toward achieving full employment in New York state  by
 examining various topics, including but not limited to:
   (1) education;
   (2) workforce training;
   (3) employment opportunities;
   (4) wages and livable income; and
   (5) entrepreneurialism.
   (e)  How  to boost economic competitiveness and economic growth in New
 York state by examining various topics, including but not limited to:
   (1) education;
   (2) workforce development;
   (3) tax policy, health care policy, and other policies;
   (4) impacts of international trade;
   (5) the manufacturing sector; and
   (6) emerging technologies and high tech.
   § 5. (a) For the accomplishment of its purposes,  the  commission  may
 meet  and  hold  public  and/or  private  hearings within or without the
 state, and shall have all the powers of a legislative committee pursuant
 to the legislative law. The commission is authorized  and  empowered  to
 undertake  any studies, inquiries, surveys or analyses it may deem rele-
 vant through its own personnel or in cooperation with  or  by  agreement
 with any other public or private agency.
   (b)  To  the  maximum  extent feasible, the commission may request and
 shall be entitled to receive and shall utilize and be provided with such
 facilities, resources and data from any court in the state and from  any
 S. 4141                             3
 
 subdivision,  department,  board,  bureau, commission, office, agency or
 other instrumentality of the state or of any political subdivision ther-
 eof as it deems necessary or desirable for the proper execution  of  its
 powers and duties and to effectuate the purposes set forth in this act.
   (c)  The  commission  is hereby authorized and empowered to enter into
 any agreements and to do and perform any acts  that  may  be  necessary,
 desirable  or  proper  to  carry out the purposes and objectives of this
 act.
   § 6. The commission shall make recommendations and  a  report  of  its
 findings.  The  commission shall submit such recommendations and report,
 including any recommendations for legislative  action  as  it  may  deem
 necessary  and  appropriate, to the governor, the temporary president of
 the senate, the speaker of the assembly, and make public online  on  the
 governor's  website  no  later than December first, two thousand twenty-
 four.
   § 7. This act shall take effect immediately.