Bill Text: NY A00959 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced
Bill Title: Directs the department of economic development to study methods for keeping small retail businesses within the state and create a pilot program to train and counsel small business owners and potential small business owners; appropriates $210,000 therefor.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 5-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2020-07-15 - held for consideration in small business [A00959 Detail]
Download: New_York-2019-A00959-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW YORK ________________________________________________________________________ 959 2019-2020 Regular Sessions IN ASSEMBLY January 14, 2019 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. CROUCH, BRABENEC, FINCH, KOLB -- read once and referred to the Committee on Small Business AN ACT to amend the economic development law, in relation to directing the department of economic development to study the attrition of small retail businesses from the state and create a pilot program to help maintain the existence of small businesses within the state and to train and counsel small business owners and potential small business owners; and making an appropriation therefor The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem- bly, do enact as follows: 1 Section 1. Legislative findings. The legislature finds that the number 2 of small businesses located within the boundaries of the state is 3 decreasing at a rapid pace. In today's market place, the small business 4 owner struggles to compete with the large corporate chain stores. The 5 legislature further finds that the existence of these small businesses 6 within the state is crucial toward the strengthening of the state's 7 economy. Therefore, it is imperative that steps be taken to help ensure 8 the future existence and stability of these small businesses. 9 § 2. The department of economic development is hereby directed to 10 conduct a comprehensive study relating to the ability to retain small 11 retail businesses within the state and is further directed to make 12 recommendations in accordance with its findings. Such study shall 13 include, but not be limited to: 14 1. The economic feasibility to grant money to communities to establish 15 small retail business retention and development plans. 16 2. The possibility of subsidizing, either in whole or in part, retail 17 entrepreneur education programs for small business owners throughout the 18 state. 19 3. The use of tax credits, both income and property, for small retail 20 business owners to lessen their financial burden and to help them 21 compete with the highly funded corporation. EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [] is old law to be omitted. LBD02792-01-9A. 959 2 1 4. The possibility of implementing legislation guaranteeing loans to 2 small retail business owners at a low, fixed interest rate. 3 5. The economic feasibility to grant money to small retail business 4 owners for the upgrade of certain equipment. 5 6. The ability to create a small business incentive program. Such 6 program would: 7 a. require small retail business owners participating in the program 8 to commit to a five year program consisting of entrepreneur education 9 classes, management training, and consultations with financial advisors. 10 b. be devised so as to create incentives for banking institutions to 11 participate in the growth and production of new and existing small 12 retail businesses. 13 § 3. A report of the findings of such study, recommendations, and any 14 proposed legislation necessary to implement such recommendations shall 15 be filed with the governor, the temporary president of the senate, and 16 the speaker of the assembly within one year after the effective date of 17 this act. 18 § 4. The economic development law is amended by adding a new section 19 139-a to read as follows: 20 § 139-a. Small business owner and potential small business owner 21 training pilot program. 1. The commissioner is hereby authorized and 22 directed to establish a small business owner and potential small busi- 23 ness owner training program within New York state. The purpose of the 24 pilot program is to prevent the demise of small retail businesses within 25 the state. This pilot program seeks to promote the growth of small 26 retail businesses by encouraging state and local chambers of commerce 27 and other local business promoting entities to create small retail busi- 28 ness training and counsel to prospective business owners. 29 The commissioner shall promulgate regulations and requirements for the 30 establishment of a small business owner and potential small business 31 owner training program. A chamber of commerce or any other local busi- 32 ness promoting entity interested in participating in this pilot program 33 shall submit a proposal for approval by the commissioner which 34 describes: 35 a. the specific small business population to be served; 36 b. the manner in which such small businesses will be identified; 37 c. the specific small retail business training and counsel to business 38 owners and prospective business owners to be provided; 39 d. the manner in which such small retail business training and counsel 40 to business owners and prospective business owners shall be provided; 41 e. all associated costs; 42 f. the expected benefits of the training program; 43 g. the method to be utilized to measure the effectiveness of the 44 training program; and 45 h. such other information as the commissioner may deem necessary to 46 assure the success of the small business owner and potential small busi- 47 ness owner training pilot program. 48 2. Approval and terms of sponsors and small business owner and poten- 49 tial small business owner programs. The written approval of a sponsor's 50 application by the commissioner shall constitute authorization to a 51 sponsor to commence a small business owner and potential small business 52 owner program. 53 Such authorization shall be in effect for three years, absent revoca- 54 tion or extension by the commissioner. 55 3. Reporting and evaluation of the program. On or before each one year 56 anniversary of the pilot program's inception, the commissioner shallA. 959 3 1 submit a report to the governor and the legislature concerning the 2 programs established in this section and shall provide an evaluation as 3 to the effectiveness of the pilot program in meeting the purposes for 4 which it was established. Such report shall also recommend whether the 5 pilot program should be expanded to additional locations in the state 6 and shall estimate the financial cost of any such expansion. 7 § 5. The sum of two hundred ten thousand dollars ($210,000), or so 8 much thereof as may be necessary, is hereby appropriated to the depart- 9 ment of economic development from any moneys in the state treasury in 10 the general fund not otherwise appropriated for services and expenses; 11 including the expenses of the department of economic development, for 12 the purposes of carrying out the provisions of this act. Such sum shall 13 be payable on the audit and warrant of the state comptroller on vouchers 14 certified or approved by the commissioner of economic development, or 15 his duly designated representative in the manner provided by law. Not 16 more than fifteen percent of the monies hereby appropriated may be 17 expended for the costs of the department of economic development. 18 § 6. This act shall take effect immediately.
