NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8406
SPONSOR: Forrest TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the economic development law, in relation to establish-
ing an immigrant integration advisory board for each economic develop-
ment region
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
This legislation will amend the economic development law, in relation to
establishing an immigrant integration advisory board for each economic
development region in New York State which will help set economic prior-
ities for each of the 10 Regional Economic Development Councils (REDCs)
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1. The economic development law is amended by adding a new
section 233 which .will establish an immigrant integration advisory
board for each of the State's ten Regional Economic Development Coun-
cils.
Subsection 2 outlines the composition of each immigrant integration
advisory board and timeframe for their appointments.
Subsection 3 outlines how vacancies will be handled.
Subsection 4 requires each advisory board to meet no less than four
times per year.
Subsection 5 outlines the powers and duties of each advisory board which
includes advising each Regional Economic Development Council (REDC)
regarding immigrant integration in that economic development region and
the development of policies designed to meet the needs of the immigrant
community in such economic development region as well as requiring annu-
al reports to the chair of each regional economic development council no
later than 60 days prior to the deadline for each REDC to submit
requests for funding from the state. The required report shall detail
the actions of the advisory board and any recommendations of the advi-
sory board to address issues of concern and importance to the immigrant
community in that economic development region.
Subsection 6 defines "immigrant integration."
Subsection 8 authorizes the advisory boards to seek and obtain informa-
tion from any state department, board, bureau, commission or agency that
will allow them to properly carry out its functions. State boards,
bureaus, commissions and agencies are authorized to provide such cooper-
ation.
Section 2 set the effective date for this legislation after it shall
become law.
JUSTIFICATION:
While immigrants comprise one of every five New Yorkers and are overrep-
resented in the workforce and as entrepreneurs with considerable posi-
tive impact on local and state tax revenue collection, their partic-
ipation in key policy making entities has been limited. With a
projection by the Congressional Budget Office that by 2042 the main
driver of population growth in the United States will be due to immi-
gration as native-born birth rates continue to decrease, New York will
see its share of immigrant population increase as it continues to be a
destination for foreign-born migrants.
Ironically, as New York's economy is heavily dependent on foreign-born
labor and considerable tax revenues are generated by this growing
segment of the population, the civic engagement of immigrant communities
has seen relatively slow participation rates, including in prominent
economic development mechanism employed by the state.
To improve and advance the economic, social, and civic integration of
foreign-born New Yorkers, it is imperative that they help shape the
policies and programs that will help narrow the gaps between this group
and native-born New Yorkers. A key mechanism to achieve this is to allow
immigrant communities across New York to participate in key economic
development discussions and decisions made by government bodies. This
legislation aims to achieve this by creating ten regional immigrant
integration advisory boards within each of the ten Regional Economic
Development Councils in New York State.
Major indicators clearly show the important and positive impact
foreign-born New Yorkers have on our state. Immigrants account for
almost 23 percent of the state's population, paid over $61 billion in
federal, state, and local taxes in 2021 alone and had a spending power
of over $138 billion that same year with a combined household income of
almost $200 billion. Immigrant entrepreneurs help drive the state's
economy with over 289,000 immigrant-owned business which serve as
employers and generated $7.0 billion dollars in revenue.
New York's health care sector is heavily dependent on immigrant work-
force with some 26.5% of . all nurses being foreign-born and over 54% of
all health aids being immigrants. Overall, there are over 2.7 million
immigrants in New York's labor force. Over 113,000 international
students attending colleges and universities in New York State are
responsible, for the sustaining of over 42,000 jobs and contribute
almost $5 billion yearly to the State. In addition, over 840,000 immi-
grants are homeowners in New York State and some 40% of refugees reset-
tled in New York State over the past 20 plus years are homeowners.
It is clear that with all the economic contributions immigrants make to
the New York State economy and their communities that their input should
be solicited, welcomed and included in regional economic development
plans and policies advocated for by the state's regional economic devel-
opment councils. This legislation begins this process.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New legislation
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None as advisory board members serve without compensation.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the 45 days after it shall have become
law.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
8406
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
December 13, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. FORREST -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Economic Development
AN ACT to amend the economic development law, in relation to establish-
ing an immigrant integration advisory board for each economic develop-
ment region
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. The economic development law is amended by adding a new
2 section 233 to read as follows:
3 § 233. Immigrant integration advisory boards established. 1. Each
4 regional economic development council shall establish an immigrant inte-
5 gration advisory board.
6 2. (a) Each board shall be comprised of nine members, to be appointed
7 by each regional economic development council.
8 (b) Each board shall include one chair and one co-chair, to be
9 appointed by the chair of each regional economic development council.
10 (c) All members appointed to each board shall be representative of the
11 immigrant communities within each economic development region.
12 (d) All members of each board shall be appointed within ninety days of
13 the effective date of this section.
14 3. Vacancies in the membership of the commission shall be filled in
15 the same manner provided for original appointments.
16 4. Each board shall meet no less than four times per year.
17 5. Each board shall have the powers and duties to:
18 (a) Advise each regional economic development council regarding immi-
19 grant integration in that economic development region and the develop-
20 ment of policies designed to meet the needs of the immigrant community
21 in such economic development region.
22 (b) (i) Submit an annual report to the chair of each regional economic
23 development council no later than sixty days prior to the deadline for
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD13540-01-3
A. 8406 2
1 each regional economic development council to submit requests for fund-
2 ing from the state.
3 (ii) Such report shall detail the actions of the board and any recom-
4 mendations of the board to address issues of concern and importance to
5 the immigrant community in that economic development region.
6 (iii) Such recommendations shall include how the work of and funding
7 for each regional economic development council can better support the
8 educational attainment, English language acquisitions, workforce devel-
9 opment, job opportunities, and entrepreneurship assistance for immigrant
10 communities within each economic development region.
11 (iv) Such recommendations shall be shared by the chair of each
12 regional economic development council with all members of such regional
13 economic development council, and shall be included in each annual
14 report of each regional economic development council.
15 6. For the purposes of this section, "immigrant integration" shall
16 mean policies and programs that will help to advance the economic,
17 social, and civic integration of foreign-born New Yorkers.
18 7. Board members shall receive no compensation for their services, but
19 shall be allowed their actual and necessary expenses incurred in the
20 performance of their duties.
21 8. To effectuate the purposes of this section, the board may request
22 from any department, board, bureau, commission or other agency of the
23 state, and the same are authorized to provide, such cooperation and
24 assistance, services and data as will enable the board to properly carry
25 out its functions pursuant to this section.
26 § 2. This act shall take effect on the forty-fifth day after it shall
27 have become a law.
