S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
3193
2009-2010 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 23, 2009
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Introduced by M. of A. WEPRIN, MORELLE, CHRISTENSEN, KOON, MILLMAN,
HEASTIE, J. RIVERA, POWELL, ROBINSON, TITUS, SCHROEDER, WRIGHT,
REILICH -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A. BENEDETTO, BOYLAND, CAHILL,
CLARK, COLTON, DESTITO, FITZPATRICK, GLICK, GREENE, HOYT, JACOBS,
LENTOL, MAGEE, PEOPLES, PERRY, PHEFFER, QUINN, N. RIVERA, P. RIVERA,
SCARBOROUGH, SWEENEY, TOWNS, WEISENBERG -- read once and referred to
the Committee on Small Business
AN ACT to amend the economic development law, in relation to creating
the micro business outreach center assistance program
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The economic development law is amended by adding a new
article 9-B to read as follows:
ARTICLE 9-B
MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
SECTION 216. DEFINITIONS.
217. MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS.
218. MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER NETWORK.
219. REPORTING REQUIREMENT.
S 216. DEFINITIONS. FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS ARTICLE THE FOLLOWING
TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
1. "MICRO BUSINESS" SHALL MEAN A SOLE PROPRIETORSHIP, PARTNERSHIP OR
FAMILY BUSINESS THAT HAS FEWER THAN FIVE EMPLOYEES.
2. "MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS" SHALL MEAN A BUSINESS OUTREACH
CENTER THAT SERVES THE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT NEEDS OF SPECIFIC COMMUNI-
TIES.
3. "MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER NETWORK" SHALL MEAN A NETWORK OF
BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS THAT PROVIDES SERVICES THROUGHOUT A REGION AND
HELPS DEVELOP AND ASSIST INDIVIDUAL MICRO-ENTERPRISE/SMALL BUSINESS
DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATIONS IN THE DELIVERY OF CUSTOMIZED BUSINESS
SERVICES TO ENTREPRENEURS, AS WELL AS CAPACITY-BUILDING SERVICES TO
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD06936-01-9
A. 3193 2
ORGANIZATIONS ESTABLISHING AND OPERATING COMMUNITY AND MICRO-ENTERPRISE
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS.
S 217. MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS. 1. THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED
WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT A MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM. THE DEPARTMENT IS AUTHORIZED, WITHIN AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED, TO
PROVIDE DIRECT TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE MICRO BUSINESS
OUTREACH CENTER NETWORK, A NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION, FOR THE FOLLOWING
ACTIVITIES:
(A) TO ASSIST THE MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER IN SETTING UP, OR TO
ASSIST THE CENTER IN HELPING LOCAL SPONSOR ORGANIZATIONS AND/OR NEW
ORGANIZATIONS TO SET UP ADDITIONAL MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS, IN
GEOGRAPHIC AREAS OF THE STATE THAT ARE WIDELY-SEPARATED FROM EACH OTHER
BUT ARE IN NEED OF, AND WOULD LIKELY BENEFIT FROM, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF
SUCH CENTER;
(B) TO ASSIST THE MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER IN PROVIDING AID FOR
THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE ADDITIONAL MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH
CENTERS SO CREATED AS WELL AS FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF ITS
PRESENTLY EXISTING AFFILIATED MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS; AND
(C) TO ASSIST THE MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER TO EXPAND THE
CENTER'S COORDINATION OF NETWORKING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES
AMONG ALL MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS.
2. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE MONIES, WITHIN AVAILABLE APPROPRI-
ATIONS, IN RESPONSE TO A COMMUNITY NEED FOR THE MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH
CENTERS NETWORK. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH CRITERIA FOR SELECTION
AND DESIGNATION OF SUCH MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS WHICH SHALL
INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
(A) COMMUNITIES THAT ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY AND/OR SOCIALLY ISOLATED FROM
THE MAINSTREAM ECONOMY;
(B) A COORDINATED NETWORK OF CLIENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS, REGIONAL
LINKAGES, AND OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES;
(C) A MODEL THAT MAXIMIZES THE EFFICIENT USE OF SCARCE EXISTING
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES, ADDRESSES THE RECOGNIZED NEED FOR
PRE-LOAN AND POST LOAN TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR GROWING SMALL BUSINESS;
(D) FACILITATING ACCESS TO THE COMPLEX INFRASTRUCTURE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND SMALL BUSINESS SERVICES, CONNECTING SMALL BUSI-
NESS TO NEEDED INFORMATION AND CAPITAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
3. ASSISTANCE, SERVICES AND DATA AS WILL ENABLE THE DEPARTMENT TO
PROPERLY CARRY OUT ITS FUNCTIONS, POWERS, AND DUTIES UNDER THIS ARTICLE
SHALL BE PROVIDED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND TO ACCOMPLISH THE SAME, THE
COMMISSIONER MAY REQUEST THE ASSISTANCE OF OTHER AGENCIES AND PUBLIC
CORPORATIONS AND DISTRICTS.
S 218. MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER NETWORK. 1. THERE IS HEREBY
ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE DEPARTMENT A MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER
NETWORK. THE DEPARTMENT IS AUTHORIZED WITHIN AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED TO
PROVIDE DIRECT TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE MICRO BUSINESS
OUTREACH CENTER NETWORK, A NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION, FOR THE FOLLOWING
ACTIVITIES:
(A) TO ASSIST THE MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER NETWORK IN SETTING
UP, OR TO ASSIST THE CENTER IN HELPING LOCAL SPONSOR ORGANIZATIONS
AND/OR NEW ORGANIZATIONS TO SET UP ADDITIONAL MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH
CENTERS, IN GEOGRAPHIC AREAS OF THE STATE THAT ARE WIDELY-SEPARATED FROM
EACH OTHER BUT ARE IN NEED OF, AND WOULD LIKELY BENEFIT FROM, THE ESTAB-
LISHMENT OF SUCH CENTER;
(B) TO ASSIST THE MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER NETWORK IN PROVIDING
AID FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE ADDITIONAL MICRO BUSINESS
OUTREACH CENTERS SO CREATED AS WELL AS FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
A. 3193 3
OF ITS PRESENTLY EXISTING AFFILIATED MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS;
AND
(C) TO ASSIST THE MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER NETWORK TO EXPAND THE
CENTER'S COORDINATION OF NETWORKING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES
AMONG ALL MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS.
2. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE MONIES, WITHIN AVAILABLE APPROPRI-
ATIONS, IN RESPONSE TO A COMMUNITY NEED FOR THE MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH
CENTERS NETWORK. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH CRITERIA FOR SELECTION
AND DESTINATION OF SUCH MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS WHICH SHALL
INCLUDE BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
(A) COMMUNITIES THAT ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY AND/OR SOCIALLY ISOLATED FROM
THE MAINSTREAM ECONOMY;
(B) A COORDINATED NETWORK OF CLIENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS, REGIONAL
LINKAGES, AND OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES;
(C) A MODEL THAT MAXIMIZES THE EFFICIENT USE OF SCARCE EXISTING
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES, ADDRESSES THE RECOGNIZED NEED FOR
PRE-LOAN AND POST LOAN TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR GROWING SMALL BUSINESS;
(D) FACILITATING ACCESS TO THE COMPLEX INFRASTRUCTURE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND SMALL BUSINESS SERVICES, CONNECTING SMALL BUSI-
NESS TO NEEDED INFORMATION AND CAPITAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
3. ASSISTANCE, SERVICES AND DATA AS WILL ENABLE THE DEPARTMENT TO
PROPERLY CARRY OUT ITS FUNCTIONS, POWERS, AND DUTIES UNDER THIS ARTICLE
SHALL BE PROVIDED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND TO ACCOMPLISH THE SAME, THE
COMMISSIONER MAY REQUEST THE ASSISTANCE OF OTHER AGENCIES AND PUBLIC
CORPORATIONS AND DISTRICTS.
S 219. REPORTING REQUIREMENT. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL MONITOR THE EFFEC-
TIVENESS OF THE DIRECT TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IT PROVIDES TO
THE MICRO BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER NETWORK, INCORPORATED, IN ORDER TO
DETERMINE AND REPORT TO WHAT EXTENT THE GOALS SPECIFIED IN THIS SECTION
HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL MAKE AND FILE AN ANNUAL
REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR, TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND SPEAKER OF
THE ASSEMBLY WITHIN THIRTY DAYS FOLLOWING THE CLOSE OF THE STATE'S
FISCAL YEAR CONTAINING THE RESULTS OF SUCH MONITORING PURSUANT TO THIS
SECTION. SUCH ANNUAL REPORT SHALL CONTAIN RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER
LEGISLATION TO IMPLEMENT THE PURPOSES OF THIS ARTICLE IF IN THE JUDGMENT
OF THE COMMISSIONER NEW LEGISLATION TO FURTHER EFFECTUATE THE PURPOSES
OF THIS ARTICLE IS WARRANTED.
S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law.