BILL NUMBER: S7440

SPONSOR: COONEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the state finance law, in relation to guidelines by the
state procurement council

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends section 161 of the state finance law to add a new
subdivision 2-a which requires that the guidelines established pursuant
to this section shall include a preference for any business located in a
county within the state that has experienced negative populations as
determined by the latest available annual estimates of resident popu-
lation by the United States bureau of census.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Businesses operating in counties experiencing population decline are
among those most adversely affected across the state. Many of these
businesses are committed to creating jobs in underserved communities and
              

investing in small and mid-sized cities that desperately seek economic
growth. Despite their positive economic impact, these businesses
currently have to compete for purchasing contracts with considerably
less resources and visibility than others in counties with a greater
pool of workforce talent and access to financial capital. As a result,
these businesses face a competitive disadvantage when bidding for
service and commodity contracts, including with the State of New York.
Most of the counties hardest hit by this population slowdown are in
upstate New York, which contributes to continued economic stagnation
that many regions are experiencing outside the New York City metropol-
itan area. The 2020 census indicates that 39 out of 50 upstate counties
experienced a decline in population between 2010 and 2020, whereas New
York City and its surrounding counties experienced the highest percent-
age increase in the state.

This bill, the "Choose Upstate Act," will provide equitable consider-
ation for businesses based in counties with systemic negative population
growth within the state procurement process. By providing a preference
to these businesses, the bill helps ensure that they are receiving
attention, consideration, and engagement in the procurement review proc-
ess. This is an important step towards leveling the playing field for
competition and opening up opportunities for economic revitalization and
sustainability in the parts of the state most in need of public invest-
ment.

 
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is a new bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:

None to the state.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.

                                 
BILL NUMBER: S7440A

SPONSOR: COONEY
 
TITLE OF BILL:

An act to amend the state finance law, in relation to guidelines by the
state procurement council

 
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:

Section 1 amends section 161 of the state finance law to add a new
subdivision 2-a which requires that the guidelines established pursuant
to this section shall include a preference for any business located in a
county within the state with a population of less than one million based
on the most recent federal decennial census.

 
JUSTIFICATION:

Businesses operating in less populous counties are among those most
adversely affected across the state. Many of these businesses are
committed to creating jobs in underserved communities and investing in
small and mid-sized cities that desperately seek economic growth.
              

Despite their positive economic impact, these businesses currently have
to compete for purchasing contracts with considerably less resources and
visibility than others in counties with a greater pool of workforce
talent and access to financial capital. As a result, these businesses
face a competitive disadvantage when bidding for service and commodity
contracts, including with the State of New York. All of the counties
with a population of under one million are located in upstate New York,
which contributes to the continued economic stagnation that many regions
are experiencing outside the New York City metropolitan area.

This bill, the "Choose Upstate Act," will provide equitable consider-
ation for businesses based in counties with a population of less than
one million. By providing a preference to these businesses, the bill
helps ensure that they are receiving attention, consideration, and
engagement in the procurement review process. This is an important step
towards leveling the playing field for competition and opening up oppor-
tunities for economic revitalization and sustainability in the parts of
the state most in need of public investment.

 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:

This is a new bill.

 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS;

None to the state.

 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the sixtieth day after it shall have
become a law.