In NY, new legislation to help small business

A new package of legislation was signed to help small business owners gain better access to free resources and navigate state government agencies, officials said Thursday.

Gov. Kathy Hocul signed the legislation that was authored by Sen. Anna Kaplan, D-North Hills, who chairs New York State’s Senate Committee on Commerce, Economic Development, and Small Business.

The first bill will create a small business liaison within the Departments of Agriculture and Markets, Environmental Conservation, Labor, Transportation, and Taxation and Finance to assist and advocate for small businesses.

The second bill requires New York’s Secretary of State to send a list of helpful resources for small businesses to anyone who files a new business name or new LLC name.

“After helping my mom start a flower shop, I know how much hard work and dedication it takes to operate a small business,”  Hochul said in a statement. “Small businesses have been hit hard over the past two years, and New York must do everything in our power to help them survive – and thrive. This legislative package will ensure State government can continue to be a partner and an advocate for small businesses across New York.”

“Small businesses have it hard enough as it is, so as a government, we need to do as much as we can to make life easier for them, and help them to access all the vital programs and services that are available,” Kaplan said in a statement.

“By creating small business liaisons within State agencies, and providing every new business with a list of resources available to them, we can help small business owners to better navigate bureaucracy, and have the best chance at success,” she added.