Bill Text: NY S01120 | 2013-2014 | General Assembly | Amended

NOTE: There are more recent revisions of this legislation. Read Latest Draft
Bill Title: Provides small businesses with grants of up to $100,000 to commercialize energy and environmental technology innovations and ideas in-state to stimulate economic development.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-05-28 - REPORTED AND COMMITTED TO FINANCE [S01120 Detail]

Download: New_York-2013-S01120-Amended.html
                           S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
       ________________________________________________________________________
                                        1120--B
                              2013-2014 Regular Sessions
                                   I N  S E N A T E
                                      (PREFILED)
                                    January 9, 2013
                                      ___________
       Introduced by Sens. MAZIARZ, MONTGOMERY -- read twice and ordered print-
         ed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Corporations,
         Authorities  and Commissions -- reported favorably from said committee
         and committed to the Committee on  Finance  --  committee  discharged,
         bill  amended,  ordered  reprinted  as amended and recommitted to said
         committee -- recommitted to the Committee on Corporations, Authorities
         and Commissions in accordance with Senate Rule 6, sec. 8 --  committee
         discharged, bill amended, ordered reprinted as amended and recommitted
         to said committee
       AN ACT to amend the New York state urban development corporation act, in
         relation to creating the New York state innovative energy and environ-
         mental technology program
         THE  PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
       BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
    1    Section 1.  Legislative  intent.  The  legislature  hereby  finds  and
    2  declares  that  the success of innovative energy and environmental tech-
    3  nology-oriented businesses with growth potential  is  essential  to  the
    4  continued  economic health and security of New York state. It is further
    5  found that the development of new products to assist  mature  industries
    6  undergoing  dramatic changes or facing increasing international competi-
    7  tion with reducing energy costs and complying with  environmental  regu-
    8  lations,  can  serve to retain, and even increase, employment.  However,
    9  commercialization of these products  is  restrained  as  numerous  small
   10  businesses are limited by lack of early stage financing.
   11    Therefore,  the  legislature seeks to provide early stage funds, via a
   12  grants program, to stimulate the creation of a substantial number of new
   13  businesses and jobs in the  energy  and  environmental  sectors  of  New
   14  York's economy.
        EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                             [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                  LBD02297-04-3
       S. 1120--B                          2
    1    S  2.  Section  1 of chapter 174 of the laws of 1968, constituting the
    2  New York state urban development corporation act, is amended by adding a
    3  new section 16-w to read as follows:
    4    S  16-W. NEW YORK STATE INNOVATIVE ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY
    5  PROGRAM. 1. DEFINITIONS. AS USED IN THIS SUBSECTION, THE FOLLOWING WORDS
    6  AND TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
    7    (A) "INNOVATIVE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES" SHALL MEAN ALL  METHODS  USED  TO
    8  PRODUCE,  DISTRIBUTE,  CONSERVE  AND  STORE ENERGY BY METHODS WHICH HAVE
    9  SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL FOR COMMERCIALIZATION, WITH EMPHASIS ON  RENEWABLE
   10  ENERGY  SOURCES  INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, SOLAR, WIND, FUEL CELLS,
   11  ADVANCED HYDROELECTRIC, AND BIOMASS POWER CONVERSION TECHNOLOGIES.
   12    (B) "INNOVATIVE ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES"  SHALL  MEAN  TECHNOLOGIES
   13  THAT   ADVANCE  SUSTAINABLE  DEVELOPMENT  BY  REDUCING  RISK,  ENHANCING
   14  COST-EFFECTIVENESS, IMPROVING PROCESS EFFICIENCY, AND CREATING  PRODUCTS
   15  AND  PROCESSES  THAT  ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY BENEFICIAL OR BENIGN AND WHICH
   16  HAVE SIGNIFICANT POTENTIAL FOR COMMERCIALIZATION. EMERGING ENVIRONMENTAL
   17  TECHNOLOGIES INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT  LIMITED  TO:  AIR,  WATER,  AND  SOIL
   18  POLLUTION  CONTROL;  SOLID AND TOXIC WASTE MANAGEMENT; SITE REMEDIATION;
   19  AND ENVIRONMENTAL MONITORING AND RECYCLING.
   20    (C) "SMALL BUSINESSES" SHALL MEAN AN INDEPENDENTLY OWNED AND  OPERATED
   21  BUSINESS  THAT  MEETS ALL OF THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS: (I) HEADQUARTERED
   22  IN THE STATE, AND PRINCIPAL BUSINESS OPERATIONS LOCATED  IN  THE  STATE;
   23  (II)  EMPLOYS  ONE  HUNDRED  OR LESS PERSONS, EIGHTY PERCENT OF WHOM ARE
   24  EMPLOYED WITHIN THE STATE ON A FULL-TIME BASIS; AND  (III)  INVOLVED  IN
   25  DEVELOPING INNOVATIVE ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGIES.
   26    (D)  "ELIGIBLE COSTS" SHALL MEAN COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH WORKING CAPITAL
   27  NEEDS, THE ACQUISITION OR UPGRADING OF EQUIPMENT, OR LEASEHOLD  IMPROVE-
   28  MENTS NECESSARY FOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF THE PRODUCT, DEVICE, TECHNIQUE,
   29  SYSTEM  OR  PROCESS; PROVIDED THAT NO OTHER SOURCE OF FUNDS IS AVAILABLE
   30  UNDER TERMS, INTEREST RATES, OR OTHER CONDITIONS THAT  WOULD  ALLOW  THE
   31  PROJECT  TO PROCEED SUCCESSFULLY. ELIGIBLE COSTS SHALL EXCLUDE ANY COSTS
   32  INCURRED PRIOR TO THE EFFECTIVE DATE OF THIS SECTION.
   33    2. THE CORPORATION IS AUTHORIZED, WITHIN AVAILABLE  APPROPRIATIONS  IN
   34  THE  EMPIRE  STATE  ECONOMIC  DEVELOPMENT  FUND  ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO
   35  SECTION SIXTEEN-M OF THIS ACT OR FROM ANY OTHER FUNDS  APPROPRIATED  FOR
   36  THE  PURPOSE  SET  OUT IN THIS SECTION, TO AWARD CAPITAL GRANTS OF UP TO
   37  ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS TO SMALL BUSINESSES,  FOR  THE  PURPOSE  OF
   38  ENCOURAGING AND SUPPORTING INNOVATIVE ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLO-
   39  GY DEVELOPMENT AND COMMERCIALIZATION ACROSS THE STATE. SUCH GRANTS SHALL
   40  BE  AWARDED ON A COMPETITIVE BASIS TO SMALL BUSINESS APPLICANTS RESPOND-
   41  ING TO REQUESTS FOR PROPOSALS ISSUED BY THE CORPORATION.
   42    3. GRANTS AND CONTRACTS MADE  BY  THE  CORPORATION  PURSUANT  TO  THIS
   43  SECTION SHALL BE SUBJECT TO THE FOLLOWING:
   44    (A) GRANTS SHALL NOT EXCEED ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND DOLLARS PER YEAR;
   45    (B) THE CORPORATION MAY NOT ENTER INTO MORE THAN ONE GRANT PER YEAR TO
   46  A SMALL BUSINESS; AND
   47    (C)  GRANTS  PROVIDED BY THE CORPORATION MAY ONLY BE USED FOR ELIGIBLE
   48  COSTS.
   49    4.  APPLICATIONS  FOR  GRANTS  AUTHORIZED  UNDER  THIS  SECTION  SHALL
   50  DESCRIBE  THE  PRODUCT, DEVICE, TECHNIQUE, SYSTEM OR PROCESS WHICH IS TO
   51  BE DEVELOPED, INCLUDING:
   52    (A) A MARKET ASSESSMENT;
   53    (B) AN EXPLANATION OF ITS TECHNICAL VALUE;
   54    (C) MEASURABLE OUTCOMES  RESULTING  FROM  ITS  MANUFACTURE  AND  SALE,
   55  INCLUDING  THE  ESTIMATED  NUMBER OF JOBS TO BE CREATED AND RETAINED AND
   56  THE SALARY LEVELS OF SUCH JOBS;
       S. 1120--B                          3
    1    (D) AN ESTIMATED TIMELINE FOR BRINGING IT  TO  MARKET,  WITH  PROPOSED
    2  STARTING AND COMPLETION DATES AND BENCHMARKS; AND
    3    (E)  A BUDGET FOR ITS DEVELOPMENT AND MARKETING THAT DESCRIBES HOW THE
    4  GRANT WILL BE USED, WHY THE GRANT FROM THE CORPORATION IS ESSENTIAL  AND
    5  CANNOT  BE OBTAINED FROM OTHER SOURCES, AND SOURCES AND AMOUNTS OF OTHER
    6  FUNDS TO BE USED IN ITS DEVELOPMENT, MARKETING AND DISTRIBUTION.
    7    5. THE CORPORATION SHALL, IN CONSULTATION  WITH  THE  NEW  YORK  STATE
    8  ENERGY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY AND THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRON-
    9  MENTAL  CONSERVATION,  DEVELOP  CRITERIA  TO BE USED IN EVALUATING GRANT
   10  APPLICATIONS. SUCH CRITERIA SHALL INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
   11    (A) ECONOMIC IMPACT AS MEASURED BY SUCH VARIABLES AS POTENTIAL  REVEN-
   12  UE,  JOB  CREATION, EFFECT ON THE LOCAL ECONOMY, GLOBAL COMPETITIVENESS,
   13  AND, PURCHASES FROM IN-STATE SUPPLIERS;
   14    (B) ABILITY OF THE APPLICANT TO LEVERAGE OTHER FUNDS;
   15    (C) FINANCIAL COMMITMENT OF THE APPLICANT;
   16    (D) TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY;
   17    (E) LIKELIHOOD THAT THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS WILL BE  MANIFEST  WITHIN  A
   18  SIX- TO TWELVE-MONTH PERIOD, BUT AT MOST WITHIN THREE YEARS; AND
   19    (F) LIKELIHOOD OF THE PRODUCT, DEVICE, TECHNIQUE, SYSTEM OR PROCESS TO
   20  RESULT  IN  IMPROVEMENTS TO PUBLIC HEALTH, QUALITY OF LIFE, THE ENVIRON-
   21  MENT, HUMAN OR BUSINESS PERFORMANCE OR ECONOMIC PRODUCTIVITY.
   22    6. THE CORPORATION SHALL, ON OR BEFORE SEPTEMBER FIRST,  TWO  THOUSAND
   23  FOURTEEN  AND  ANNUALLY THEREAFTER, SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR, THE
   24  TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND THE SENATE  MINORITY  LEADER,  THE
   25  SPEAKER  OF  THE  ASSEMBLY, AND THE MINORITY LEADER OF THE ASSEMBLY, THE
   26  CHAIRPERSONS OF THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND THE ASSEMBLY  WAYS  AND
   27  MEANS  COMMITTEE,  AND TO ANY OTHER MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATURE REQUESTING
   28  SUCH REPORTS ON THE EFFECTIVENESS AND ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF  THE  NEW  YORK
   29  STATE  INNOVATIVE  ENERGY  AND  ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY GRANTS PROGRAM.
   30  SUCH REPORT SHALL INCLUDE FOR EACH GRANT AWARDED, THE NAME AND  LOCATION
   31  OF  THE  RECIPIENT,  A  DESCRIPTION  OF  THE PRODUCT, DEVICE, TECHNIQUE,
   32  SYSTEM OR PROCESS BEING COMMERCIALIZED, THE AMOUNT AND USE OF THE GRANT,
   33  THE TOTAL PROJECT COST, THE IMPACT OF THE  PROJECT  ON  THE  RECIPIENT'S
   34  BUSINESS,  THE NUMBER OF JOBS CREATED OR RETAINED, AND SUCH OTHER INFOR-
   35  MATION AS THE CORPORATION SHALL DEEM APPROPRIATE.
   36    7. NOTHING IN THIS SECTION SHALL REQUIRE THE CORPORATION  TO  DISCLOSE
   37  ANY  MATTERS  INVOLVING CONFIDENTIAL INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OR WORK PROD-
   38  UCT, WHETHER PATENTABLE OR NOT, INCLUDING ANY  FORMULA,  PLAN,  PATTERN,
   39  PROCESS, TOOL, MECHANISM, COMPOUND, PROCEDURE, PRODUCTION DATA OR COMPI-
   40  LATION OF INFORMATION, WHICH IS NOT PATENTED, BUT WHICH IS KNOWN ONLY TO
   41  CERTAIN  INDIVIDUALS  WHO ARE USING IT TO FABRICATE, PRODUCE OR COMPOUND
   42  AN ARTICLE OF TRADE OR SERVICE HAVING COMMERCIAL VALUE AND  WHICH  GIVES
   43  ITS  USER AN OPPORTUNITY TO OBTAIN A BUSINESS ADVANTAGE OVER COMPETITORS
   44  WHO DO NOT KNOW IT OR USE IT.
   45    S 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
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