What's happening
This bill allows local governments in New York to set higher wage standards than state law and provides enforcement mechanisms.
Why it matters
Empowers local governments (counties, cities, towns, villages, and public benefit corporations) to set wage and working condition standards that exceed state minimums. , potentially leading to higher local wages, stronger worker protections, and tailored labor policies that reflect local economic realities.
Specifies that local wage standards can be enforced not only by the local government but also by the state labor commissioner. , giving workers additional avenues to pursue their rights and increasing the likelihood that higher standards are actually implemented and followed.
Clarifies that stronger local wage laws will not be preempted by state law. , removing ambiguity that could have previously discouraged local action and opening the door for more progressive labor policy experiments at the municipal level.
Includes a severability clause. , meaning if one part of the law is found unconstitutional, the rest would still stand—helping ensure the core intent of empowering local wage standards survives potential legal challenges.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Let Cities Raise Minimum Wage
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
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History
- Referred to labor
- Referred to labor
Full text
1 pageUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
4555
2017-2018 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
February 3, 2017
Introduced by M. of A. TITUS -- read once and referred to the Committee on Labor
AN ACT to amend the labor law, in relation to authorizing local wage standards higher than in the state labor law
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 665 of the labor law is renumbered section 666 and a new section 665 is added to read as follows:
§ 665. Local wage standards. Nothing in this chapter, the municipal home rule law or the general municipal law shall prohibit the adoption of any minimum standards established by any applicable federal, state, or local law, policy, contract or preference, or by a public benefit corporation, or any rule or regulation issued thereunder, relating to wages, hours, or other working conditions, or the enforcement thereof, which are more favorable to employees than the minimum standards applicable under this article. A county, city, town, village or public benefit corporation may adopt such standards, which shall be subject to enforcement by any means provided by law, including but not limited to those authorized by the county, city, town, village or public benefit corporation, and may also be enforced by the commissioner using any and all enforcement methods permitted by this chapter for enforcement of wage standards and payment.
§ 2. Severability. If any provision of this act, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, shall be adjudged by any court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unconstitutional, such judgment shall not affect, impair or invalidate the remainder thereof, but shall be confined in its operation to the provision of this act, or in its application to the person or circumstance, directly involved in the controversy in which such judgment shall have been rendered.
§ 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02750-01-7
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.