New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has signed a bill into law that will disaggregate data of Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) individuals, according to state Assemblymember Jessica González-Rojas, prime sponsor of the legislation.

The new law will direct every state agency, board, department and commission that collects demographic data to use separate categories to collect data for the “White” and “Middle Eastern or North African” groups.

Advocates have argued Middle Eastern and North African individuals categorized as “White” hinders those communities in education, employment, housing, health care and political representation.

According to the assemblymember, U.S. Census indicates that at least 280,000 MENA individuals live in New York, but studies indicate that the actual number is likely over 500,000. 

“For too long Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) communities have been made invisible by our federal and state governments' lack of data collection or lack of disaggregation. By not including categories for these various communities in the Census and not disaggregating the data in our state institutions, the needs of neighbors have been unaccounted for and ignored," González-Rojas said in a statement Friday. "I am so proud to have worked with Malikah, the coalition of organizations, and my Senate partner, Senator Gianaris to have gotten this bill signed into law. It is past time that these communities are accounted for and better understood and represented. This will allow us to better serve them as government and to offer them the resources they need and deserve."

The bill passed in the state Legislature back in the spring.