New York Senate Bill S09141

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/5/26
• Refer: 2/5/26
• Report Pass: 5/13/26

Caption

Relates to the establishment of a wage data clearinghouse to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of workforce development and education programs in the state.

Summary

This bill would add a new section to the Labor Law creating a statewide wage data clearinghouse. The clearinghouse would use unemployment insurance wage and employment data, along with other labor, education, and workforce development data, to evaluate the long-term effectiveness of workforce and education programs and to identify gaps in training and employment services. It is also authorized to conduct additional research aimed at improving long-term employment outcomes, especially for unemployed and underemployed New Yorkers. The clearinghouse would be administered by a New York academic institution selected through a request-for-proposals process, in consultation with the Department of Labor, the Education Department, and the State Workforce Investment Board. The bill also creates a statewide advisory board to set research priorities, appoint a director with data systems and security expertise, and ensure the work serves policymakers, educators, workforce providers, businesses, and economic development officials. The bill authorizes up to $600,000 in funding, subject to appropriation, and requires periodic program evaluations and public reporting of aggregated results.

Impact

The bill would amend the Labor Law by adding a new section 45 and would require the Department of Labor to share available state and federal unemployment insurance, wage, and employment-related data with the clearinghouse, subject to existing confidentiality rules. It would establish new governance structures, including an advisory board and a director, and would impose privacy and data-security obligations on clearinghouse employees. The bill would also require public posting of reports and aggregated data and would create an ongoing evaluation requirement for the program.

Sentiment

No committee transcript or vote record was provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate, support, or opposition in the available materials. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears policy-oriented and technical, with an emphasis on data-driven workforce planning, education evaluation, and improved employment outcomes. The structure of the bill suggests a generally constructive, research-focused intent rather than a controversial regulatory change.

Contention

The main potential points of contention are likely to involve data privacy, the use of personally identifiable information, and the sharing of unemployment insurance and wage records across agencies and with an outside academic institution. Another possible issue is cost and appropriations, since the bill authorizes up to $600,000 for operations but makes funding subject to appropriation. There may also be debate over governance and control, including the role of an academic institution, the composition of the advisory board, and whether the clearinghouse duplicates work already done by the Department of Labor.