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:

  Section  1.  The  economic  development law is amended by adding a new
section 242 to read as follows:
  S 242. ENHANCED STATEWIDE BUSINESS  INFORMATION  AND  REFERRAL  SYSTEM
CALL  CENTER. 1. THE DEPARTMENT, IN CONSULTATION WITH THE URBAN DEVELOP-
MENT CORPORATION, THE NEW YORK FOUNDATION FOR  SCIENCE,  TECHNOLOGY  AND
INNOVATION, THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE, AND THE OFFICE FOR TECHNOLOGY SHALL
DESIGN  AND  IMPLEMENT  AN  ENHANCED  STATEWIDE BUSINESS INFORMATION AND
REFERRAL SYSTEM CALL CENTER DESIGNATED BY A SINGLE  EASILY  RECOGNIZABLE
THREE  DIGIT TELEPHONE NUMBER, ESTABLISHED PURSUANT TO THIS SECTION. THE
DEPARTMENT AND OTHER STATE AGENCIES, AUTHORITIES OR NOT-FOR-PROFITS THAT
PROVIDE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SERVICES SHALL PUBLICIZE  AND  EDUCATE  THE
PUBLIC ON AN ONGOING BASIS CONCERNING THE STATE'S CALL CENTER SERVICES.
  2.  THE  ENHANCED  STATEWIDE  BUSINESS INFORMATION AND REFERRAL SYSTEM
CALL CENTER SHALL HAVE FOR THE  PURPOSES  OF  PROVIDING  ASSISTANCE  AND
REFERRALS  TO THE APPROPRIATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SERVICE PROVIDERS AND
WHERE APPROPRIATE  OTHER  AGENCIES  THAT  PROVIDE  EMPLOYEE  DEVELOPMENT
SERVICES OR REGULATE, PERMIT OR LICENSE BUSINESSES:
  (A)  A COMPUTERIZED INFORMATION AND REFERRAL DATABASE AND A STRUCTURED
ROUTINE FOR UPDATING DATABASE INFORMATION;
  (B) DAYTIME, EVENING AND  WEEKEND  CALLER  ACCESS  TO  AN  INFORMATION
SPECIALIST IN LIVE TIME;
  (C)  ABILITY  TO  LAUNCH AND MAINTAIN AN INTERACTIVE INTERNET APPLICA-
TION, AND RESPOND TO BUSINESS INQUIRIES VIA COMPUTER-BASED  TELECOMMUNI-
CATION;

 EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                      [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                           LBD02448-01-9
              

A. 3739                             2

  (D)  MAY PROVIDE MULTILINGUAL ACCESSIBILITY, EITHER ON-SITE OR THROUGH
AN OFF-SITE TRANSLATION SERVICE;
  (E) APPROPRIATE STAFF-TO-CALL VOLUME RATIO; AND
  (F)  SUCH  OTHER  CRITERIA  AS  SHALL  BE  DETERMINED BY REGULATION IN
CONSULTATION WITH THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION.
  3. THE DEPARTMENT SHALL COLLABORATE WITH THE PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION
TO ASSIGN A THREE DIGIT TELEPHONE NUMBER TO THE ENHANCED STATEWIDE BUSI-
NESS INFORMATION  AND  REFERRAL  SYSTEM  ESTABLISHED  PURSUANT  TO  THIS
SECTION.
  4.  THE  DEPARTMENT  SHALL  COLLECT INFORMATION FROM CALLS IN ORDER TO
CREATE AND UPDATE A FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AREA ON A  STATE  WEBSITE
DEDICATED TO PROVIDING ASSISTANCE TO NEW YORK BUSINESSES BASED ON CALLER
INQUIRIES  AND  ENSURE  THAT  EFFORTS ARE MADE TO ADDRESS THE UNDERLYING
QUESTIONS.
  S 2. This act shall take effect on the one hundred twentieth day after
it shall have become a law; provided however, effective immediately, the
addition, amendment and/or repeal of any rule  or  regulation  necessary
for  the implementation of this act on its effective date are authorized
and directed to be made and completed on or before such effective date.