S T A T E   O F   N E W   Y O R K
 ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                   4312
 
                        2019-2020 Regular Sessions
 
                           I N  A S S E M B L Y
 
                             February 4, 2019
                                ___________
 
 Introduced by M. of A. THIELE -- read once and referred to the Committee
   on Small Business
 
 AN  ACT to amend the economic development law, in relation to the opera-
   tion of entrepreneurship assistance centers
 
   THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND  ASSEM-
 BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:

   Section  1.  Subdivisions  2,  3  and 6 of section 211 of the economic
 development law, as added by chapter  398  of  the  laws  of  2018,  are
 amended to read as follows:
   2.  The  department  shall establish criteria for selection and desig-
 nation of such centers which shall include, but not be limited to:
   (a) REQUIRE THAT EACH SUPPORT CENTER PROGRAM PROVIDE  AT  LEAST  SIXTY
 HOURS  OF  INSTRUCTION  FOR  EACH  PARTICIPANT  AND THAT EACH PROGRAM BE
 SUPPLEMENTED BY ONGOING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE  FOR  BUSINESS  DEVELOPMENT
 FOR THOSE WHO HAVE COMPLETED THE PROGRAM;
   (B)  the  level  of  support  for the center from local post-secondary
 education institutions, businesses, and government;
   [(b)] (C) the level of financial assistance provided at the local  and
 federal level to support the operations of the center;
   [(c)]  (D)  the  applicant's understanding of program goals and objec-
 tives articulated by the department;
   [(d)] (E) the plans of the center to supplement state and local  fund-
 ing  through  fees  for  services  which may be based on a sliding scale
 based on ability to pay;
   [(e)] (F) the need for and anticipated impact of  the  center  on  the
 community in which it will function;
   [(f)]  (G)  the  quality  of  the  proposed work plan and staff of the
 center; and
   [(g)] (H) the extent of economic distress in the area to be served.
 
  EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                       [ ] is old law to be omitted.
                                                            LBD07023-01-9

              

 A. 4312                             2
 
   3. Application for grants made pursuant to this section shall be  made
 in  the manner and on forms prescribed by the [department] COMMISSIONER.
 Such application shall include, but shall not be limited to:
   (a)  a  description  of  the  training  programs  available within the
 geographic area to be served by the center to which eligible clients may
 be referred;
   (b) designation of a program director;
   (c) plans for providing ongoing technical assistance to program gradu-
 ates, including linkages with providers of other entrepreneurial assist-
 ance programs and with providers of small business technical  assistance
 and services;
   (d) a program budget, including matching funds, in-kind and otherwise,
 to be provided by the applicant; [and]
   (e)  PERMIT  A JOINT APPLICATION FROM A CONSORTIUM OF CAREER EDUCATION
 AGENCIES AND NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATIONS, OR  ANY  COMBINATION  THEREOF,
 FOR ESTABLISHING A COOPERATIVE PROGRAM; AND
   (F) such other requirements as deemed necessary by the department.
   6.  Grants  made  pursuant  to  this  section  shall be subject to the
 following limitations:
   (a) no grant shall be made to any one  or  any  consortium  of  career
 education  agencies  and  not-for-profit  corporations  in excess of ONE
 HUNDRED seventy-five thousand dollars; and
   (b) each grant shall be disbursed for payment of the cost of  services
 and expenses of the program director, the instructors of the participat-
 ing  career  education agency or not-for-profit corporation, the faculty
 and support personnel thereof and any other person  in  the  service  of
 providing instruction and counseling in furtherance of the program.
   §  2.  Subdivisions 2 and 3 of section 212 of the economic development
 law, as added by chapter 398 of the laws of 2018, are amended to read as
 follows:
   2. Evaluate the entrepreneurial assistance centers  established  under
 this  article  and report [quarterly and] annually, on or before January
 first, two thousand [eighteen] TWENTY, and on  or  before  each  January
 first  thereafter,  and  submit  the  results  of such evaluation to the
 governor and the legislature. Such report shall discuss  the  extent  to
 which  the centers serve minority group members, women, individuals with
 a disability, dislocated workers and veterans; the extent to  which  the
 training  program is coordinated with other assistance programs targeted
 to small and new businesses; the ability of  such  program  to  leverage
 other  sources of funding and support; and the success of the program in
 aiding entrepreneurs to start up new businesses, including the number of
 new business start-ups resulting from the  program.  Such  report  shall
 recommend  changes  and  improvements in the training program and in the
 quality of supplemental technical assistance offered to graduates of the
 training programs. [Such reports] THE REPORT shall be made available  to
 the public on the department's website.
   3.  Submit  to  the director of the division of the budget, the chair-
 person of the senate finance committee and the chairperson of the assem-
 bly ways and means committee an evaluation of the effectiveness  of  the
 programs  established under this article prepared by an entity independ-
 ent of the department. Such evaluation shall  be  submitted  by  January
 first,  two  thousand  [nineteen]  TWENTY-ONE and by January first every
 [year] TWO YEARS thereafter.
   § 3. This act shall take effect immediately.