What's happening
This bill creates a commission to study population decline and outward migration in New York, examining causes and recommending solutions.
Why it matters
Brings regional voices into the conversation. The commission must include at least one member from each economic development region of the state, ensuring that local perspectives and unique regional challenges to population retention are represented.
Focuses on underlying causes. By specifically requiring examination of affordability, housing, public safety, education, and economic opportunity, the bill aims to identify actionable root causes—not just symptoms—of why people are leaving New York.
Promotes public engagement. The requirement for at least one public hearing in each region creates opportunities for residents, businesses, and local leaders to directly share their experiences and concerns, making the process more transparent and inclusive.
Connects study to policy action. The commission is tasked not just with reporting its findings but also with making legislative recommendations, potentially shaping future laws and strategies to address population decline and outward migration.
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Who cares
Regional economic development councils
Each council region would have resident representation on the commission and at least one public hearing, with the relevant council’s funds covering members’ expenses for meetings or hearings in its region.
Governor and legislative leaders
They would appoint the commission’s thirteen members, and the governor and legislature would receive its findings, recommendations and any proposed legislation.
New York residents concerned about affordability and housing
The commission would examine those issues as potential reasons for population loss and offer public hearings in every economic development council region.
Education, public safety and economic development advocates
The commission would examine their policy areas as potential factors in residents leaving New York and could recommend legislative changes.
Headline styles
Study Why People Leave NY
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to commerce, economic development and small business
- Referred to commerce, economic development and small business
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
839
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by Sens. TEDISCO, BORRELLO, MATTERA, MURRAY, OBERACKER, WEBER -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Commerce, Economic Development and Small Business
AN ACT to amend the economic development law, in relation to establishing the New York state commission on out-migration
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. The economic development law is amended by adding a new section 243 to read as follows:
§ 243. New York state commission on out-migration. 1. There is hereby established in the department a commission to study such lagging population and outward migration in the state of New York.
2. (a) The commission shall consist of thirteen members. Such members shall be appointed within forty-five days after the effective date of this section as follows: three members shall be appointed by the governor; three members shall be appointed by the speaker of the assembly; three members shall be appointed by the temporary president of the senate; two members shall be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly; and two members shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate.
(b) Members of the commission shall not be currently elected members of the state of New York legislature and each region of the economic development councils shall be represented by at least one member who resides in such region.
(c) The members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be entitled to the actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their business as members of the commission. Reimbursement for such actual and necessary expenses shall be paid out of the funds of the regional economic development council having respon-
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02773-01-5
sibility for the region in which the commission meets or holds a hearing.
3. (a) The commission shall examine reasons for lagging population in the state of New York and emigration from the state of New York. Such commission shall examine the reasons for such population loss and emigration, including, but not limited to the following:
(i) affordability;
(ii) housing;
(iii) public safety;
(iv) education; and
(v) economic opportunity.
(b) The commission shall hold at least one public hearing in each region of the economic development councils within a period of twelve months from the effective date of this section.
4. The commission shall make a report to the governor and the legislature of its findings, conclusions and recommendations, not later than ninety days after completion of the public hearings, and shall submit with its report legislative proposals as it deems necessary to implement its recommendations.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the economic development law, in relation to establish- ing the New York state commission on out-migration
Purpose
Establishes the New York state commission on out-migration to ascertain reasons for New York's lagging population compared to other states.
Summary of provisions
§ 1. The economic development law is amended by adding a new section 243 to read as follows:
§ 243. New York state commission on out-migration. 1. There is hereby established in the department a commission to study such lagging popu- lation and outward migration in the state of New York.
2. (a) The commission shall consist of thirteen members. Such members shall be appointed as follows: three members shall be appointed by the governor; three members shall be appointed by the speaker of the assem- bly; three members shall be appointed by the temporary president of the senate; two members shall be appointed by the minority leader of the assembly; and two members shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate.
(b) Members of the commission shall not be currently elected members of the state of New York legislature and each region of the economic devel- opment councils shall be represented by at least one member who resides in such region.
(c) The members of the commission shall serve without compensation but shall be entitled to the actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their business as members of the commission. Reimburse- ment for such actual and necessary expenses shall be paid out of the funds of the regional economic development council having responsibility for the region in which the commission meets or holds a hearing.
3. (a) The commission shall examine reasons for lagging population in the state of New York and emigration from the state of New York. Such commission shall examine the reasons for such population loss and emigration, including, but not limited to the following:
(i) affordability;
(ii) housing;
(iii) public safety;
(iv) education; and
(v) economic opportunity.
(b) The commission shall hold at least one public hearing in each region of the economic development councils within a period of twelve months from the effective date of this section.
4. The commission shall make a report to the governor and the legisla- ture of its findings, conclusions and recommendations, not later than ninety days after completion of the public hearings and shall submit with its report legislative proposals as it deems necessary to implement its recommendations.
Justification
In the year 2023, over 101,000 people left New York State, the third consecutive year with such a sizable loss of population, according to U.S. Census data. New York has the dubious distinction of leading the nation in out-migration of population. This resulted in the loss of a Congressional seat in the most recent redistricting cycle.
In April 2020, there were more than 20.2 million New Yorkers, that fell to 19.5 million people as of July 2023, a decline of over 631,000 people since the pandemic.
This measure would create the Commission on New York State Out-migration to conduct a year-long research and fact-finding campaign by holding public hearings and interacting with New Yorkers from all walks of life and all corners of the state, and ultimately provide a tangible report to assist the State Legislature in reversing this trend.
Legislative history
01/08/24: S.8103 REFERRED TO COMMERCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SMALL BUSINESS
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.