Bill Text: NY S02547 | 2023-2024 | General Assembly | Introduced


Bill Title: Establishes the New York first--shop local program to provide immediate assistance to small businesses impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak; defines terms; provides that such program shall identify eligible applicants and projects that promote local products and services by providing marketing and business assistance services; makes related provisions.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 1-0)

Status: (Introduced) 2024-01-03 - REFERRED TO COMMERCE, ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SMALL BUSINESS [S02547 Detail]

Download: New_York-2023-S02547-Introduced.html



                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________

                                          2547

                               2023-2024 Regular Sessions

                    IN SENATE

                                    January 23, 2023
                                       ___________

        Introduced  by  Sen. HELMING -- read twice and ordered printed, and when
          printed to be committed to the Committee on Commerce, Economic  Devel-
          opment and Small Business

        AN  ACT to amend the economic development law, in relation to establish-
          ing the New York first--shop local program

          The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and  Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:

     1    Section  1.  Section 100 of the economic development law is amended by
     2  adding a new subdivision 18-l to read as follows:
     3    18-l. to establish, in cooperation with the urban  development  corpo-
     4  ration,  a  program  to  promote  local businesses and industries in the
     5  state in a manner consistent with the provisions of  article  five-G  of
     6  this chapter.
     7    §  2.  The economic development law is amended by adding a new article
     8  5-G to read as follows:
     9                                 ARTICLE 5-G
    10                     NEW YORK FIRST--SHOP LOCAL PROGRAM
    11  Section 181-h. Legislative findings and intent.
    12          181-i. Definitions.
    13          181-j. New York first--shop local program.
    14          181-k. Application process.
    15          181-l. New York first--shop local program grants.
    16          181-m. Reporting requirements.
    17          181-n. Assistance of other state agencies.
    18          181-o. Functions, powers and duties  of  other  departments  and
    19                   state agencies.
    20    §  181-h.  Legislative  findings  and intent. The legislature seeks to
    21  provide immediate assistance to small businesses impacted by the  COVID-
    22  19 outbreak. The state relies on small businesses to stabilize local tax
    23  bases, support community and charitable organizations and grow our econ-
    24  omy.  The legislature needs to support these "mom and pop" businesses to

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                                   LBD05618-01-3

        S. 2547                             2

     1  help them get back up and running. To support this  initiative,  we  are
     2  directing  the  department  to provide marketing and business assistance
     3  grants to  allow  not-for-profit  organizations,  associations,  munici-
     4  palities, public benefits corporations and for-profit companies to high-
     5  light  all the great products and services our local communities have to
     6  offer. Supporting local initiatives keeps more money in  the  community,
     7  sustains  local  jobs, strengthens the economy, improves quality of life
     8  and enhances customer service. By shopping at a  locally-owned  business
     9  rather  than international retailers, consumers can have a direct impact
    10  in their community's recovery.  The New York first--shop  local  program
    11  will  support marketing campaigns and social media strategies as well as
    12  provide valuable business assistance, including search engine  optimiza-
    13  tion.  This program will help to bridge the digital divide and encourage
    14  new and existing customers to buy local.
    15    § 181-i. Definitions. As used in this  article,  the  following  terms
    16  shall have the following meanings:
    17    1. "Eligible applicants" include not-for-profit organizations, associ-
    18  ations,  municipalities,  public  benefits  corporations  and for-profit
    19  companies. Eligible projects shall focus on  local  communities  in  New
    20  York state.
    21    2.  "Eligible projects" include, but are not limited to, print, broad-
    22  cast or electronic media campaigns, conferences, publications,  documen-
    23  tary  productions,  instructional materials, and public exhibitions.  In
    24  addition, eligible projects may include consulting services on  markets,
    25  customers,  and  competitors, business databases, geographic information
    26  systems, internet and social  media  strategies,  business  to  business
    27  referrals, and search engine optimization.
    28    §  181-j.  New  York  first--shop  local  program.  1. There is hereby
    29  created within the department the New York  first--shop  local  program.
    30  Such  program  shall  identify  eligible  applicants  and  projects that
    31  promote local products and services by providing marketing and  business
    32  assistance services.
    33    2. The commissioner shall conduct a public outreach campaign to inform
    34  the  public  of the creation of the program and encourage eligible enti-
    35  ties to apply. All program information shall be made publicly  available
    36  and shall be posted on the department website.
    37    § 181-k. Application process. 1. The commissioner shall, within thirty
    38  days  of  the  effective  date  of  this  section,  issue  a request for
    39  proposals for the New York first--shop local program that shall include,
    40  but not be limited to, the objectives of the  program  and  the  scoring
    41  criteria that shall be used and applied for selection.
    42    2. Applications shall include the schedule, budget, scope, and uses of
    43  marketing  funds as well as any additional business assistance services.
    44  Applications shall identify the specific targets and audiences for  such
    45  marketing  programs, the geographic reach of the program and shall iden-
    46  tify appropriate and practical ways to measure the  economic  impact  of
    47  the program.
    48    §  181-l. New York first--shop local program grants. 1. The department
    49  shall, within available appropriations, award grants to  eligible  enti-
    50  ties  and  organizations  as  set forth in this article on a competitive
    51  basis and in response to requests for proposals issued  by  the  depart-
    52  ment. Grants shall not exceed ten thousand dollars per project.
    53    2.  Upon  submission and approval of each application and the authori-
    54  zation of funds by the commissioner in accordance therewith, the commis-
    55  sioner shall give notice to the eligible applicant of such approval  and
    56  authorization  and  remit such grant funding immediately. At such point,

        S. 2547                             3

     1  an approved applicant may proceed with its proposed  business  marketing
     2  and business assistance program as described in its application.
     3    §  181-m.  Reporting  requirements.  1.  Each  funding recipient shall
     4  provide an annual financial statement prepared  according  to  generally
     5  accepted accounting principles to the commissioner.
     6    2.  The department shall annually, on or before February first, submit
     7  to the governor, the temporary president of the senate, the  speaker  of
     8  the  assembly, the minority leader of the senate and the minority leader
     9  of the assembly, a report on the activities of the New York  first--shop
    10  local  program.  Such  report  shall  include a summary of the financial
    11  statements received by the department from funded entities, a summary of
    12  activities conducted and analyses of the effectiveness of the program in
    13  stimulating economic growth, business retention and job creation.
    14    § 181-n.  Assistance  of  other  state  agencies.  To  effectuate  the
    15  purposes  of  this  article,  the  commissioner may request and shall be
    16  entitled to receive from any state agency, and the same  are  authorized
    17  to  provide such assistance, service, facilities and data as will enable
    18  the program to carry out the functions, powers and  duties  provided  by
    19  this article and such temporary or permanently assigned personnel as the
    20  director of the budget may approve.
    21    §  181-o.  Functions, powers and duties of other departments and state
    22  agencies. Nothing contained in this article shall be deemed  to  detract
    23  in any way from the functions, powers or duties prescribed by law of any
    24  department of the state or to interrupt or preclude the direct relation-
    25  ship  of  any such department or agency with other agencies, individuals
    26  or corporations for the  carrying  out  of  its  functions,  powers  and
    27  duties.
    28    §  3. Notwithstanding any other law, rule or regulation to the contra-
    29  ry, the executive is hereby authorized to repurpose all  monies  of  the
    30  department  of economic development and New York state urban development
    31  corporation to fully fund programs created by this act.
    32    § 4. This act shall take effect immediately.
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