S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4124
 
                        2017-2018 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 1, 2017
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. THIELE -- 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.
   § 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
 ORGANIZATIONS ESTABLISHING AND OPERATING COMMUNITY AND  MICRO-ENTERPRISE
 DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS.
   § 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
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
              

                                                            LBD02755-01-7

 A. 4124                             2
 
 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.
   § 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
 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.

 A. 4124                             3
 
   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.
   § 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.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
 it shall have become a law.