Zoe McGrady makes her living as a beauty and print model. She loves the industry, but says it's missing structure, like consequences for bad actors.

She says she still hasn't been paid for a job she did a year ago. 

A bill passed by the state Assembly and state Senate in June aims to do just that. The Fashion Workers Act, now awaiting the governor's signature, would set financial protections for models.

For example, a manager would be limited to a maximum of 20% commission for a job. It would also regulate lunch breaks, nudity and protections around the use of artificial intelligence on their work.

"I think that it is good to hopefully hold accountable the agencies that are misbehaving," McGrady said.

State Sen. Brad Hoylman-Sigal, who represents parts of Manhattan, sponsored the legislation.

"Fashion has a big imprint on labor, and what has been missing for decades is any responsibility between model management companies and their clients," Hoylman-Sigal said.

Some model advocacy groups and management companies say the bill has good intentions.

"We have been waiting for model protections for decade," TRUE Model Management's founder, Dale Noelle, said.

Noelle says she used to be a model, and was never paid for $50,000 worth of work. The bill, she believes, should include penalties for brands that don't pay managers.

"I want to make clear, though, that if a manager is paid and does not pay a model, that is a severe infraction and should be penalized. However, if the managers are not paid, then we can't pay the models," she said.

Hoylman-Sigal did not respond directly to this criticism

"If model management companies are doing right by their clients, as most of them are, they have nothing to fear," Hoylman-Sigal said.

An organization that advocates for the well-being of models, The Model Alliance, provided a statement to NY1 which says: "We look forward to Governor Hochul signing the bill into the law as soon as possible."

McGrady, however, said the bill should also improve transparency. She fears a company she contracts with has too much control over her career.

"We don't know what work's being put in, or if we're actually being submitted to stuff," she said. "Once you're in contract with the agency, they run your career."

Hoylman-Sigal said he made the bill a priority this last legislative session; it has passed in both the Assembly and Senate. Gov. Kathy Hochul has until the end of the year to sign it.