S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   9280
 
                             I N  S E N A T E
 
                                May 9, 2024
                                ___________
 
 Introduced  by  Sen.  RYAN  --  read twice and ordered printed, and when
   printed to be committed to the Committee on Commerce, Economic  Devel-
   opment and Small Business
 
 AN  ACT to amend the economic development law, in relation to establish-
   ing the small business energy conservation ombudsman 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
 section 138-a to read as follows:
   § 138-A. SMALL BUSINESS  ENERGY  CONSERVATION  OMBUDSMAN  PROGRAM.  1.
 THERE  IS  HEREBY ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE DIVISION FOR SMALL BUSINESSES A
 SMALL  BUSINESS  ENERGY  CONSERVATION  OMBUDSMAN  PROGRAM.  THE  PRIMARY
 PURPOSE  OF  SUCH  PROGRAM  IS  TO  REPRESENT SMALL BUSINESSES ON ISSUES
 RELATING TO STATE ENERGY POLICY AND THE GOALS OF THE CLIMATE  LEADERSHIP
 AND COMMUNITY PROTECTION ACT.
   2.  THE  DEPARTMENT SHALL, THROUGH THE SMALL BUSINESS ENERGY CONSERVA-
 TION OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM, PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING SERVICES:
   A. SOLICITING INPUT FROM SMALL BUSINESSES ON  CONSERVATION  OF  ENERGY
 AND  THE  PROMOTION  OF  THE  STATE'S  CLEAN  ENERGY AND CLIMATE AGENDA,
 INCLUDING INTERACTING WITH ORGANIZATIONS REPRESENTING  SMALL  BUSINESSES
 SUCH AS TRADE ASSOCIATIONS OR OTHER ENTITIES;
   B.  PARTICIPATING  IN, FACILITATING AND PROMOTING THE PARTICIPATION OF
 SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE DEVELOPMENT  AND  IMPLEMENTATION  OF  RULES  AND
 REGULATIONS  ADOPTED  PURSUANT TO THE STATE ENERGY LAW AND OTHER ASPECTS
 OF THE CLIMATE LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY PROTECTION  ACT,  INCLUDING  BUT
 NOT  LIMITED  TO RULES AND REGULATIONS RELATING TO RETROFITTING EXISTING
 COMMERCIAL BUILDINGS AND MAKING NEW CONSTRUCTION COMPLIANT WITH  SECTION
 11-104  OF  THE ENERGY LAW AND TO THE ELECTRIFICATION OF THE TRANSPORTA-
 TION SECTOR  PURSUANT  TO  ARTICLE  SEVENTY-FIVE  OF  THE  ENVIRONMENTAL
 CONSERVATION LAW;
   C.  PARTICIPATING  IN  AND SPONSORING MEETINGS WITH THE NEW YORK STATE
 RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY, STATE AND LOCAL ENERGY  AND  CLIMATE
 AGENCIES, INDUSTRY GROUPS AND SMALL BUSINESS REPRESENTATIVES;
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD15377-01-4
              

 S. 9280                             2
 
   D.  PROVIDING  GUIDANCE  AND  RECOMMENDATIONS  TO  THE  NEW YORK STATE
 RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY  AND  OTHER  STATE  AGENCIES  ON  THE
 DEVELOPMENT,  CONTENT AND OPERATION OF THE SMALL BUSINESS ENERGY CONSER-
 VATION OMBUDSMAN PROGRAM;
   E.  DEVELOPING  AND  DISTRIBUTING  TO SMALL BUSINESSES INFORMATION AND
 MATERIALS ON ENERGY CONSERVATION AND THE REQUIREMENTS AND GOALS  OF  THE
 CLIMATE  LEADERSHIP  AND COMMUNITY PROTECTION ACT AS OUTLINED IN SECTION
 3-101 OF THE ENERGY LAW;
   F. AIDING IN THE INVESTIGATION AND RESOLUTION OF  ENERGY  CONSERVATION
 COMPLAINTS AND DISPUTES FROM SMALL BUSINESSES AGAINST STATE AGENCIES AND
 LOCAL AUTHORITIES;
   G. REVIEWING AND PROVIDING COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATIONS TO STATE AGEN-
 CIES REGARDING THE DEVELOPMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION OF ENERGY CONSERVATION
 REGULATIONS THAT IMPACT SMALL BUSINESSES;
   H.  REFERRING  SMALL  BUSINESSES  TO  SPECIALISTS  FOR INFORMATION AND
 ASSISTANCE ON  AFFORDABLE  ALTERNATIVE  TECHNOLOGIES,  PROCESS  CHANGES,
 PRODUCTS AND OPERATIONAL METHODS TO HELP ACHIEVE ENERGY CONSERVATION AND
 THE GOALS OF THE CLIMATE LEADERSHIP AND COMMUNITY PROTECTION ACT;
   I.  PROVIDING  INFORMATION  TO  SMALL  BUSINESSES  ON  STATE-SPONSORED
 PROGRAMS OFFERING FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE,  AND  IN  LOCATING
 SOURCES OF FUNDING FOR ENERGY CONSERVATION; AND
   J.  ESTABLISHING PROCEDURES FOR ASSURING THE CONFIDENTIALITY OF INFOR-
 MATION RECEIVED FROM SMALL BUSINESSES.
   § 2. This act shall take effect on the first of January next  succeed-
 ing the date on which it shall have become a law.