Amd §226, Ag & Mkts L (as proposed in S.8741-A & A.9649-A)
Creates a natural fiber textile development workgroup to study and identify methods of advancing the animal and plant based textile industry in this state.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A617
SPONSOR: Woerner TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to natural
fiber textile development
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to effectuate an amendment to Chapter 572 of
the laws of 2022 related to natural fiber textile development in New
York State.
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1 creates a working group within the Department of Agriculture
and Markets, in consultation with the Department of Economic Develop-
ment, and industry stakeholders to study and identify methods to grow
the natural fiber textile industry in New York state. The working group
would submit recommendations the Departments and the Legislature within
one-year of the effective date and every two-years thereafter.
Section 2 provides the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Chapter 572 of the laws of 2022 seek to support the textile manufactur-
ing industry in New York through economic development programs, includ-
ing expanding annual farm recognition awards, state procurement process
training for small businesses, and the excelsior jobs program to include
such New York products and processes, and creating the natural fiber
textile development council. This legislation changes the council into a
workgroup that would seek to identify ways in which to grow the natural
fiber textile company in New York state.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
New bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
Undetermined.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as
chapter of the laws of 2022 amending the legislative bill numbers
S.8741-A and A.9649-A, takes effect.
STATE OF NEW YORK
________________________________________________________________________
617
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY
January 10, 2023
___________
Introduced by M. of A. WOERNER -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Agriculture
AN ACT to amend the agriculture and markets law, in relation to natural
fiber textile development
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-bly, do enact as follows:
1 Section 1. Section 226 of the agriculture and markets law, as added by
2 a chapter of the laws of 2022 amending the economic development law, the
3 state finance law and the agriculture and markets law relating to enact-
4 ing the New York textile act, as proposed in legislative bills numbers
5 S. 8741-A and A. 9649-A, is amended to read as follows:
6 § 226. Natural fiber textile development [council] workgroup. 1.
7 There is hereby established within the department a natural fiber
8 textile development [council. Such council shall consist of the commis-
9 sioner, the commissioner of economic development, or their designees,
10 and ten other persons to be appointed by the governor, including two
11 members on the recommendation of the temporary president of the senate;
12 two members on the recommendation of the speaker of the assembly; one
13 member on the recommendation of the minority leader of the senate; and
14 one member on the recommendation of the minority leader of the assembly.
15 Of the members so appointed, at least one member shall be a producer of
16 animal-based fibers, one shall be a producer of plant-based fibers, one
17 shall be a representative of a statewide agricultural organization, one
18 shall be a representative of a regional or statewide organization of
19 animal or plant fiber producers, two shall be representatives of fiber
20 and textile manufacturers which is defined as a fiber processor or spin-
21 ning mill, a knitting mill, a weaving studio, or wet finishing (dyeing,
22 printing or fabric finishing), two shall be from designers/producers
23 which is defined as including apparel, home textile products, industrial
24 textiles and healthcare products, one shall be a representative of an
25 academic institution offering textile or design education, and one shall
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04143-01-3
A. 617 2
1 be a representative of an academic institution offering fiber-producing
2 livestock education. Members shall be appointed for a term of three
3 years and may serve until their successors are chosen, provided, howev-
4 er, that of the members first appointed, three shall serve for a term of
5 one year, three shall serve for a term of two years, and four shall
6 serve for a term of three years. The governor shall select a member of
7 the council to serve as chairperson. Council members shall not receive
8 compensation for their services, but may be paid their actual and neces-
9 sary expenses incurred in serving upon the council.
10 2. The council shall work with natural fiber producers and textile
11 manufacturers to increase the economic contributions and employment
12 opportunities related to animal and plant fiber agriculture and textile
13 manufacturing in New York state. The council shall give priority to
14 increasing private investment in, and utilization of, New York state
15 produced and processed natural fibers in all categories of textile manu-
16 facturing including apparel, home textile products, industrial textiles,
17 and health care products. The council shall also prioritize coordinating
18 policy with state agencies, academia and the private sector; working to
19 improve public understanding of and appreciation for natural fiber
20 textiles; and increasing export and market opportunities for New York
21 produced natural fiber textiles. The council shall deliver an annual
22 report outlining its work and making recommendations with regard to
23 economic development and marketing initiatives and research and develop-
24 ment initiatives consistent with the purposes of the council. The report
25 shall be delivered to the governor, the speaker of the assembly, the
26 temporary president of the senate, the minority leader of the assembly
27 and the minority leader of the senate.
28 3. The department shall provide necessary support services to the
29 council, including, within funds available, the appointment of an execu-
30 tive director to coordinate the work of the council] workgroup. The
31 commissioner, in conjunction with the commissioner of economic develop-
32 ment shall convene an annual workgroup of stakeholders which may include
33 but not limited to a producer of animal-based fibers, a producer of
34 plant-based fibers, a representative of a statewide agricultural organ-
35 ization, a representative of a regional or statewide organization of
36 animal or plant fiber producers, a representative of fiber and textile
37 manufacturers which is defined as a fiber processor or spinning mill, a
38 knitting mill, a weaving studio, or wet finishing (dyeing, printing or
39 fabric finishing), a representative from designers/producers which is
40 defined as including apparel, home textile products, industrial textiles
41 and healthcare products, and a representative of an academic institution
42 offering textile or design education, and a representative of an academ-
43 ic institution offering fiber-producing livestock education. This work-
44 group shall study and identify methods to, including but not limited to:
45 (a) increase the economic contributions and employment opportunities
46 related to animal and plant fiber agriculture and textile manufacturing
47 in New York state;
48 (b) increase private investment in, and utilization of, New York state
49 produced and processed natural fibers in all categories of textile:
50 manufacturing including apparel, home textile products, industrial
51 textiles, and health care products;
52 (c) improve public understanding of and appreciation for natural fiber
53 textiles; and
54 (d) increase export and market opportunities for New York produced
55 natural fiber textiles.
A. 617 3
1 2. The workgroup shall submit recommendations to the commissioner, the
2 commissioner of economic development, the speaker of the assembly, the
3 temporary president of the senate, the minority leader of the assembly
4 and the minority leader of the senate within one year of the effective
5 date of this section and every two years thereafter.
6 § 2. This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same
7 manner as a chapter of the laws of 2022 amending the economic develop-
8 ment law, the state finance law and the agriculture and markets law
9 relating to enacting the New York textile act, as proposed in legisla-
10 tive bills numbers S. 8741-A and A. 9649-A, takes effect.
