S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1980
2009-2010 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 14, 2009
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Introduced by M. of A. MORELLE, CYMBROWITZ, SWEENEY -- Multi-Sponsored
by -- M. of A. CARROZZA, WEINSTEIN -- 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 creating
the business outreach center network assistance program
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. The economic development law is amended by adding a new
article 9-B to read as follows:
ARTICLE 9-B
BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER (BOC) NETWORK ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
SECTION 216. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND OBJECTIVES.
217. BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS.
218. REPORTING REQUIREMENT.
S 216. LEGISLATIVE FINDINGS AND OBJECTIVES. THE LEGISLATURE FINDS THAT
AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO SUPPORTING SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, THE
"BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER (BOC) NETWORK", IS ONE OF A DOZEN NATIONAL
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT MODELS THAT HAS BEEN FOUND TO BE "WORTHY OF STUDY
AND REPLICATION". ACCORDINGLY, THE LEGISLATURE DECLARES ITS INTENT TO
PROMOTE THE SUCCESS AND EXPANSION OF SMALL BUSINESS IN THE STATE AND THE
GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE STATE'S ECONOMY AS A PUBLIC PURPOSE BY
FOSTERING THE CREATION AND OPERATION OF ADDITIONAL BUSINESS OUTREACH
CENTERS AND INCREASING STATE ASSISTANCE TO THE BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS
(BOC) NETWORK, INCORPORATED, A NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATION PERFORMING
VITAL AND WORTHY STATE AND PUBLIC PURPOSES.
S 217. BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS. 1. THERE IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED WITH-
IN THE DEPARTMENT A BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER (BOC) NETWORK ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM. THE DEPARTMENT IS AUTHORIZED, WITHIN AMOUNTS APPROPRIATED, TO
PROVIDE DIRECT TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE TO THE BUSINESS
OUTREACH CENTER (BOC) NETWORK, INCORPORATED, A NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPO-
RATION, FOR THE FOLLOWING ACTIVITIES:
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04120-01-9
A. 1980 2
(A) TO ASSIST THE BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER (BOC) NETWORK IN SETTING
UP, OR TO ASSIST THE CENTER IN HELPING LOCAL SPONSOR ORGANIZATIONS
AND/OR NEW ORGANIZATIONS TO SET UP ADDITIONAL BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS,
IN GEOGRAPHIC AREAS OF THE STATE THAT ARE WIDELY-SEPARATED FROM EACH
OTHER BUT ARE IN NEED OF, AND WOULD LIKELY BENEFIT FROM, THE ESTABLISH-
MENT OF SUCH CENTER;
(B) TO ASSIST THE BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER (BOC) NETWORK IN PROVIDING
AID FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE OF THE ADDITIONAL BUSINESS
OUTREACH CENTERS SO CREATED AS WELL AS FOR THE OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE
OF ITS PRESENTLY EXISTING AFFILIATED BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS; AND
(C) TO ASSIST THE BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER (BOC) NETWORK TO EXPAND THE
CENTER'S COORDINATION OF NETWORKING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ACTIVITIES
AMONG ALL BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS.
2. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL PROVIDE MONIES, WITHIN AVAILABLE APPROPRI-
ATIONS, IN RESPONSE TO A COMMUNITY NEED FOR THE BUSINESS OUTREACH
CENTERS NETWORK. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH CRITERIA FOR SELECTION
AND DESIGNATION OF SUCH BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTERS WHICH SHALL INCLUDE
BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO:
(A) COMMUNITIES THAT ARE GEOGRAPHICALLY AND/OR SOCIALLY ISOLATED FROM
THE MAINSTREAM ECONOMY;
(B) A COORDINATED NETWORK OF CLIENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS, REGIONAL
LINKAGES, AND OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES;
(C) A MODEL THAT MAXIMIZES THE EFFICIENT USE OF SCARCE EXISTING
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES, ADDRESSES THE RECOGNIZED NEED FOR
PRE-LOAN AND POST LOAN TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE FOR GROWING SMALL BUSINESS;
(D) FACILITATING ACCESS TO THE COMPLEX INFRASTRUCTURE OF ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND SMALL BUSINESS SERVICES, CONNECTING SMALL BUSI-
NESS TO NEEDED INFORMATION AND CAPITAL TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.
3. ASSISTANCE, SERVICES AND DATA AS WILL ENABLE THE DEPARTMENT TO
PROPERLY CARRY OUT ITS FUNCTIONS, POWERS, AND DUTIES UNDER THIS ARTICLE
SHALL BE PROVIDED BY THE COMMISSIONER AND TO ACCOMPLISH THE SAME, THE
COMMISSIONER MAY REQUEST THE ASSISTANCE OF OTHER AGENCIES AND PUBLIC
CORPORATIONS AND DISTRICTS PURSUANT TO SECTION TWO HUNDRED SIXTEEN OF
THIS ARTICLE.
S 218. REPORTING REQUIREMENT. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL MONITOR THE EFFEC-
TIVENESS OF THE DIRECT TECHNICAL AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IT PROVIDES TO
THE BUSINESS OUTREACH CENTER (BOC) NETWORK, INCORPORATED, IN ORDER TO
DETERMINE AND REPORT TO WHAT EXTENT THE GOALS SPECIFIED IN THIS SECTION
HAVE BEEN ACHIEVED. THE COMMISSIONER SHALL MAKE AND FILE AN ANNUAL
REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR, TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE AND SPEAKER OF
THE ASSEMBLY WITHIN THIRTY DAYS FOLLOWING THE CLOSE OF THE STATE'S
FISCAL YEAR CONTAINING THE RESULTS OF SUCH MONITORING PURSUANT TO THIS
SECTION. SUCH ANNUAL REPORT SHALL CONTAIN RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FURTHER
LEGISLATION TO IMPLEMENT THE PURPOSES OF THIS ARTICLE IF IN THE JUDGMENT
OF THE COMMISSIONER NEW LEGISLATION TO FURTHER EFFECTUATE THE PURPOSES
OF THIS ARTICLE IS WARRANTED.
S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
it shall have become a law.