NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A518
SPONSOR: Gonzalez-Rojas TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to the collection of
certain demographic information by certain state agencies, boards,
departments and commissions; and to amend a chapter of the laws of 2024
amending the executive law relating to the collection of certain demo-
graphic information by certain state agencies, boards, departments and
commissions, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 6584-C and A.
6219-B, in relation to the effectiveness thereof
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to amend Chapter 657 of the laws of 2024,
ensuring comprehensive and specific data collection for Middle Eastern
and North African (MENA) communities by state agencies. This includes
revisions to demographic reporting requirements and providing sufficient
time for compliance by affected entities.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section one:
*Requires state agencies, boards, departments, or commissions collecting
demographic data to include distinct categories for Middle Eastern and
North African (MENA) communities. These categories must account for
major North African groups, such as Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian, Suda-
nese, Tunisian, and Libyan, as well as major Middle Eastern groups,
including Yemeni, Iranian, Palestinian, Iraqi, Lebanese, Israeli, Jorda-
nian, Syrian, Armenian, and Saudi, ensuring comprehensive representation
of these populations.
*Requires the inclusion of the collected data in all demographic reports
starting January 1, 2027, provided the data quality is sufficient.
*Mandates public availability of demographic data through agency
websites, ensuring confidentiality of personal identifying information.
Agencies must provide an explanation in cases where data quality is
insufficient for publication.
*Requires any state agency, board, or commission unable to meet compli-
ance deadlines to post a public report 60 days prior to the deadline,
outlining reasons for non-compliance, actions taken, and an estimated
timeline for resolution. Updates to the report are required every six
months until compliance is achieved.
*Allows individuals to select multiple collection categories to better
reflect complex identities.
Section two:
*Changes the effective date of the act to July 1, 2026. Also allows
necessary rules or regulations to be updated immediately to facilitate
smooth implementation.
Section three sets the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
This legislation addresses the historical underrepresentation of MENA
communities in official statistics by requiring more granular and accu-
rate data collection. These changes will help inform equitable policy-
making and resource allocation. By providing clear timelines and flexi-
bility for state agencies, the bill ensures that the transition to these
new data standards is smooth and efficient.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
To be determined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately; provided, however, that section
one of this act shall take effect on July 1, 2026, and in the same
manner as Chapter 657 of the laws of 2024 amending the executive law
relating to the collection of demographic information by state agencies,
boards, departments, and commissions.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
518
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY(Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. GONZALEZ-ROJAS -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Governmental Operations
AN ACT to amend the executive law, in relation to the collection of
certain demographic information by certain state agencies, boards,
departments and commissions; and to amend a chapter of the laws of
2024 amending the executive law relating to the collection of certain
demographic information by certain state agencies, boards, departments
and commissions, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 6584-C
and A. 6219-B, in relation to the effectiveness thereof
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 170-h of the executive law, as added by a chapter
2 of the laws of 2024 amending the executive law relating to the
3 collection of certain demographic information by certain state agencies,
4 boards, departments and commissions, as proposed in legislative bills
5 numbers S. 6584-C and A. 6219-B, is amended to read as follows:
6 § 170-h. Additional collection of demographic information. 1. Every
7 state agency, board, department, or commission that directly collects
8 demographic data as to the ancestry or ethnic origin of residents of the
9 state of New York shall use separate collection categories and tabu-
10 lations for the [White group] following Middle Eastern and North African
11 groups in New York state[, including the following Middle Eastern or
12 North African groups in New York state]:
13 (a) Each major North African (NA) group[, including, but not limited
14 to,] shall include Egyptian, Moroccan, Algerian, Sudanese, Tunisian, and
15 Libyan; and
16 (b) Each major Middle Eastern (ME) group[, including, but not limited
17 to,] shall include Yemeni, Iranian, Palestinian, Iraqi, Lebanese, Israe-
18 li, Jordanian, Syrian, Armenian, and Saudi; and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02855-01-5
A. 518 2
1 (c) [Other Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) groups, including,
2 but not limited to, transnational indigenous MENA communities like
3 Amazigh and Syriac people] Collection categories shall include a catego-
4 ry for other Middle Eastern or North African groups.
5 2. [Every state agency, board, department, or commission that directly
6 collects demographic data as to the ancestry or ethnic origin of resi-
7 dents of the state of New York shall allow multiple collection catego-
8 ries to be selected.
9 3.] The data collected pursuant to the different collection categories
10 and tabulations described in subdivision one of this section, to the
11 degree that the data quality is sufficient, shall be included in every
12 demographic report on ancestry or ethnic origins of residents of the
13 state of New York by the state agency, board, department, or commission
14 published or released on or after [December] January first, two thousand
15 [twenty-five; provided, however, that for the department of labor, divi-
16 sion of criminal justice services, office of mental health and office of
17 temporary and disability assistance such requirements shall be effective
18 July first, two thousand twenty-six] twenty-seven. The data shall be
19 made available to the public in accordance with state and federal law,
20 except for personal identifying information, which shall be deemed
21 confidential, by posting the data on the internet web site of the agen-
22 cy, board, department, or commission on or before [December] January
23 first, two thousand [twenty-five] twenty-seven, and annually thereaft-
24 er[; provided, however, that for the department of labor, division of
25 criminal justice services, office of mental health and office of tempo-
26 rary and disability assistance such requirements shall be effective July
27 first, two thousand twenty-six]. If the data quality is determined to be
28 insufficient for publication, an explanation of the problem with the
29 data quality shall be included in any report or publication made avail-
30 able to the public. This subdivision shall not be construed to prevent
31 any other state agency from posting data collected pursuant to subdivi-
32 sion one of this section on the agency's internet web site, in the
33 manner prescribed by this section.
34 [4. The requirements of this section shall not apply to the department
35 of labor, the division of criminal justice services, the office of
36 mental health or the office of temporary and disability assistance until
37 two years after this section shall have become a law.]
38 3. A state agency, board, or commission that cannot comply with the
39 requirements of this section shall, at least sixty days before the
40 applicable deadline, post publicly on its web site a written progress
41 report that describes with specificity the steps the agency, board, or
42 commission has taken to comply with this section, the impediments that
43 prevented compliance, the efforts undertaken by the agency, board, or
44 commission to come into compliance, and an estimated timeframe for
45 compliance. The written report shall be updated every six months from
46 the date of the original posting.
47 § 2. Section 2 of a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the executive
48 law relating to the collection of certain demographic information by
49 certain state agencies, boards, departments and commissions, as proposed
50 in legislative bills numbers S. 6584-C and A. 6219-B, is amended to read
51 as follows:
52 § 2. This act shall take effect [on the one hundred twentieth day
53 after it shall have become a law] July 1, 2026. Effective immediately,
54 the addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation neces-
55 sary for the implementation of this act on its effective date are
56 authorized to be made and completed on or before such effective date.
A. 518 3
1 § 3. This act shall take effect immediately; provided however, that
2 section one of this act shall take effect on the same date and in the
3 same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the executive law
4 relating to the collection of certain demographic information by certain
5 state agencies, boards, departments and commissions, as proposed in
6 legislative bills numbers S. 6584-C and A. 6219-B, takes effect.
