S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K ________________________________________________________________________ 3739 2009-2010 Regular Sessions I N A S S E M B L Y January 28, 2009 ___________ Introduced by M. of A. KOON, SCHROEDER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry AN ACT to amend the economic development law, in relation to establish- ing an enhanced statewide business information and referral system call center THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM- BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: 1 Section 1. The economic development law is amended by adding a new 2 section 242 to read as follows: 3 S 242. ENHANCED STATEWIDE BUSINESS INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SYSTEM 4 CALL CENTER. 1. THE DEPARTMENT, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE URBAN DEVELOP- 5 MENT CORPORATION, THE NEW YORK FOUNDATION FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY AND 6 INNOVATION, THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE, AND THE OFFICE FOR TECHNOLOGY SHALL 7 DESIGN AND IMPLEMENT AN ENHANCED STATEWIDE BUSINESS INFORMATION AND 8 REFERRAL SYSTEM CALL CENTER DESIGNATED BY A SINGLE EASILY RECOGNIZABLE 9 THREE DIGIT TELEPHONE NUMBER, ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION. THE 10 DEPARTMENT AND OTHER STATE AGENCIES, AUTHORITIES OR NOT-FOR-PROFITS THAT 11 PROVIDE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES SHALL PUBLICIZE AND EDUCATE THE 12 PUBLIC ON AN ONGOING BASIS CONCERNING THE STATE'S CALL CENTER SERVICES. 13 2. THE ENHANCED STATEWIDE BUSINESS INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SYSTEM 14 CALL CENTER SHALL HAVE FOR THE PURPOSES OF PROVIDING ASSISTANCE AND 15 REFERRALS TO THE APPROPRIATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SERVICE PROVIDERS AND 16 WHERE APPROPRIATE OTHER AGENCIES THAT PROVIDE EMPLOYEE DEVELOPMENT 17 SERVICES OR REGULATE, PERMIT OR LICENSE BUSINESSES: 18 (A) A COMPUTERIZED INFORMATION AND REFERRAL DATABASE AND A STRUCTURED 19 ROUTINE FOR UPDATING DATABASE INFORMATION; 20 (B) DAYTIME, EVENING AND WEEKEND CALLER ACCESS TO AN INFORMATION 21 SPECIALIST IN LIVE TIME; 22 (C) ABILITY TO LAUNCH AND MAINTAIN AN INTERACTIVE INTERNET APPLICA- 23 TION, AND RESPOND TO BUSINESS INQUIRIES VIA COMPUTER-BASED TELECOMMUNI- 24 CATION; EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets [ ] is old law to be omitted. LBD02448-01-9 A. 3739 2 1 (D) MAY PROVIDE MULTILINGUAL ACCESSIBILITY, EITHER ON-SITE OR THROUGH 2 AN OFF-SITE TRANSLATION SERVICE; 3 (E) APPROPRIATE STAFF-TO-CALL VOLUME RATIO; AND 4 (F) SUCH OTHER CRITERIA AS SHALL BE DETERMINED BY REGULATION IN 5 CONSULTATION WITH THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION. 6 3. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL COLLABORATE WITH THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION 7 TO ASSIGN A THREE DIGIT TELEPHONE NUMBER TO THE ENHANCED STATEWIDE BUSI- 8 NESS INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SYSTEM ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO THIS 9 SECTION. 10 4. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL COLLECT INFORMATION FROM CALLS IN ORDER TO 11 CREATE AND UPDATE A FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AREA ON A STATE WEBSITE 12 DEDICATED TO PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO NEW YORK BUSINESSES BASED ON CALLER 13 INQUIRIES AND ENSURE THAT EFFORTS ARE MADE TO ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING 14 QUESTIONS. 15 S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after 16 it shall have become a law; provided however, effective immediately, the 17 addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule or regulation necessary 18 for the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized 19 and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.