Requires the commissioner of labor to prepare an annual report on the cost of living, poverty rates and adequacy of the current minimum wage in the state

• Democratic3

◆ The sponsor's argument

Why Jessica Ramos says this is needed

In New York State, approximately one million workers, or 16.4 percent of the workforce, earn the minimum wage. The State must ensure the legisla- ture has accurate data on the cost of living and the adequacy of the current minimum wage. Inflation has consistently outpaced wage growth, reducing the real value of the minimum wage and weakening worker's purchasing power. For 2025, the Consumer Price Index for the New York metropolitan area increased by 4.2 percent, yet wages at the lowest end did not keep pace. This dispar- ity makes it harder for workers to afford rent, food, transportation, and healthcare. The impact is particularly severe in high-cost regions like New York City. For 2025, rent for a one-bedroom apartment in high-cost regions like New York City is $2,511, according to the most recent HUD data. A full-time minimum wage worker earns approximately $33,280 per year before taxes, making it nearly impossible to afford housing without spending most of their income on rent. The Economic Policy Institute's Family Budget Calculator estimates that a single adult in New York State needs at least $51,500 annually to cover basic expenses. Minimum wage workers are disproportionately women and people of color, who also face entrenched barriers to economic mobility. In New York, women make up 61 percent of all minimum wage earners. Black and Latino workers represent nearly half of the low-wage workforce, despite comprising a smaller share of the total labor force. Many of these work- ers do not receive employer-sponsored health insurance and depend on public assistance programs such as Medicaid and SNAP, effectively shift- ing labor costs on to taxpayers. To improve wage policy decisions, this bill requires the New York State Department of Labor to submit an annual report by September 13. The report will analyze the cost of living, poverty rates, and minimum wage adequacy using multiple cost-of-living measures, including the National True Cost of Living Coalition's, True Cost of Economic Security measure (TCES). This tool provides a precise, regionally adjusted assessment of what workers actually need to afford basic necessities, including hous- ing, childcare, healthcare, and transportation. The report will also include disaggregated data by race, ethnicity, gender, age, disability status, household size, and education level across four state regions. Regular reporting will ensure policymakers make informed decisions that align wages with the true cost of living in New York.

This is the sponsor's own case for the bill, quoted from their memorandum. It is not Agora's description of what the bill does.