What's happening
This bill allows Westchester County to require public contract bidders to hire workers from local high-unemployment and high-poverty communities.
Why it matters
Targets economic inequality. by ensuring that a portion of public contract labor costs is directed specifically to residents of communities with the highest unemployment and poverty rates in Westchester County, aiming to close gaps in opportunity.
Creates tiered hiring obligations. for contractors, requiring increased local hiring (10%, 20%, or 30% of labor costs) based on how much a community's unemployment and poverty exceed county averages—making the mandate responsive to the severity of local need.
Includes support for people with barriers to employment. such as previously incarcerated individuals participating in re-entry programs, potentially reducing recidivism and supporting successful reintegration.
Encourages long-term workforce development. by allowing the county to require apprenticeship and training programs for residents of targeted communities, which can build sustainable skills and career pathways beyond a single contract.
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Who cares
Westchester County officials
The bill would let the county impose hiring and retention requirements benefiting residents of targeted communities on the lowest responsible bidders for public works, construction or purchase contracts.
County contractors and bidders
The county could require construction contractors to devote minimum shares of labor costs to hiring targeted-community residents and require bidders to establish apprenticeship and training programs in specified construction trades.
Residents of targeted Westchester communities
Residents of qualifying communities with high unemployment could gain access to county-required hiring, retention, apprenticeship and training opportunities.
Previously incarcerated people in Westchester re-entry programs
The county could require bidders to hire and retain people participating in those programs.
Headline styles
Allow Westchester Targeted Hiring Requirements
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Referred to local governments
- Referred to local governments
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
3268
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 29, 2019
Introduced by M. of A. PRETLOW -- read once and referred to the Committee on Local Governments
AN ACT to amend the general municipal law, in relation to allowing Westchester county to require bidders for public works, construction or purchase contracts to hire and retain persons residing in certain targeted communities
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The general municipal law is amended by adding a new section 103-h to read as follows:
§ 103-h. Contracts for public works in Westchester county; targeted communities. 1. For the purposes of this section, a "targeted community" shall mean any city, town, or village or census tract within a municipality, within a county where the combined average of the unemployment rate and the poverty rate of such community is greater than the combined countywide average of unemployment and poverty rate by ten percent.
2. Notwithstanding any provision of law, the county of Westchester may require the lowest responsible bidder for all public works, construction or purchase contracts to hire and retain persons residing in certain targeted communities having the highest rates of unemployment within such county.
3. The county may require that:
a. at least ten percent of the labor costs of construction contracts awarded by the county be spent to hire persons residing in the targeted communities within that county;
b. at least twenty percent of the labor costs of construction contracts be spent to hire persons residing in the targeted communities, if the combined average unemployment and poverty rate for a targeted community is greater than twenty percent of the combined countywide average of unemployment rate and the poverty rate; and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05424-01-9
A. 3268 2
c. at least thirty percent of the labor costs of construction contracts cost be spent to hire persons residing in the targeted communities if the combined average community unemployment and poverty rate is greater than thirty percent of the combined countywide average of unemployment rate and the poverty rate.
4. The combined average unemployment rate and poverty rate shall be computed annually based on statistics published by the New York state bureau of labor statistics or similar government agencies for the period ending December thirty-first of the year preceding the year in which the contract is awarded. The county, in its sole discretion, may use the most recent United States census data in determining the unemployment rate and poverty rate of a targeted community or combined countywide unemployment rate and poverty rate instead of data published by the New York state bureau of labor statistics. The combined average shall be the sum of the preceding year end unemployment rate plus the preceding year end poverty rate divided by two.
5. The combined average unemployment rate and poverty rate shall be established annually by resolution or local law of the county. The county may require bidders to hire and retain persons who were previously incarcerated and who are participating in a re-entry program in such county.
6. The county may require the lowest responsible bidder to establish apprenticeship and training programs for workers residing within the targeted communities in certain construction trades specified in a resolution or local law passed by such county.
§ 2. This act shall take effect on the thirtieth day after it shall have become a law.
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.