Governor Cuomo Signs Regulatory Relief Legislation

ALBANY — NFIB, the state’s leading small business advocacy group, applauded legislators and Andrew Cuomo today after the Governor signed A.7540b / S.5815b which provides small businesses in New York with much needed and long awaited regulatory relief from overly punitive fines and penalties.

“Small businesses employ more than 4 million New Yorkers across every community in our state and continue to be the driving force for New York’s economic growth,” said Greg Biryla, state director of NFIB in New York. “These same small businesses struggle in New York under the yoke of a burdensome, punitive and archaic regulatory environment. This commonsense reform will give Main Street a big boost and give small businesses a break by granting them the flexibility to correct minor regulatory violations.”

The new law sponsored by Assemblyman John McDonald (D-Cohoes) and Senator Anna Kaplan (D-Great Neck) waives many fines associated with first-time regulatory infractions and provides a cure period to ensure future compliance. This legislation does not apply to regulatory infractions that threaten public safety, health, or the environment, are fraudulent, criminal, or violate civil rights protections.

“Assemblyman McDonald and Senator Kaplan worked tirelessly through 2019’s legislative session on behalf of New York’s 2.1 million small businesses to ensure new and changing state regulations are better communicated, understood, and compliance is less complex,” added Biryla. “NFIB also thanks Governor Cuomo for recognizing that when small businesses succeed, our communities succeed. We look forward to continued progress in the new year.”