S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
8116
2023-2024 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
October 13, 2023
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Introduced by M. of A. SOLAGES -- read once and referred to the Commit-
tee on Small Business
AN ACT to amend the economic development law, the New York state urban
development corporation act and the executive law, in relation to
small business crime prevention services
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 139-a to read as follows:
§ 139-A. SMALL BUSINESS CRIME PREVENTION SERVICES PROGRAM. 1. THERE
IS HEREBY ESTABLISHED WITHIN THE DIVISION A SMALL BUSINESS CRIME
PREVENTION SERVICES PROGRAM.
2. THE SMALL BUSINESS CRIME PREVENTION SERVICES PROGRAM, DIRECTLY AND
IN CONJUNCTION WITH OTHER DIVISIONS OF THE DEPARTMENT AND WITH OTHER
AGENCIES OF THE STATE, FEDERAL AGENCIES OR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, SHALL
PROVIDE SMALL BUSINESSES WITH ACCESS TO THE FOLLOWING SERVICES:
(A) INFORMATION ON STRATEGIES, BEST PRACTICES AND PROGRAMS OFFERING
TRAINING AND ASSISTANCE IN PREVENTION OF CRIMES IN AND AROUND THE PREM-
ISES OF SMALL BUSINESSES OR OTHERWISE AFFECTING SMALL BUSINESSES,
INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO: ASSAULT, ARSON AND OTHER VIOLENT FELONY
OFFENSES; ROBBERY, BURGLARY, THEFT, IDENTITY THEFT, COUNTERFEITING,
CHECK AND CREDIT CARD FRAUD AND OTHER FRAUD; AND VANDALISM, GRAFFITI AND
OTHER PROPERTY DAMAGE;
(B) INFORMATION ON ELIGIBILITY AND APPLICATIONS FOR FINANCIAL ASSIST-
ANCE FOR SMALL BUSINESS CRIME PREVENTION SERVICES UNDER PARAGRAPH (O) OF
SUBDIVISION ONE OF SECTION SIXTEEN-M OF SECTION ONE OF CHAPTER ONE
HUNDRED SEVENTY-FOUR OF THE LAWS OF NINETEEN HUNDRED SIXTY-EIGHT;
(C) INFORMATION ON ELIGIBILITY AND APPLICATIONS FOR OTHER PROGRAMS OF
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR SMALL BUSINESS CRIME PREVENTION THAT MAY FROM
TIME TO TIME BE AVAILABLE FROM THE DEPARTMENT OR OTHER AGENCIES OF THE
STATE, FEDERAL AGENCIES OR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS;
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01755-01-3
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(D) INFORMATION ON PROTECTING THE ASSETS OF SMALL BUSINESSES FROM
CRIME, INCLUDING RISK REDUCTION STRATEGIES AND INSURANCE AVAILABILITY;
AND
(E) INFORMATION ON RESPONSES TO CRIME, INCLUDING REPORTING OF CRIMES,
SUBMITTING INSURANCE CLAIMS AND CRIME VICTIM ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS.
3. THE SMALL BUSINESS CRIME PREVENTION SERVICES PROGRAM SHALL, WITH
THE ASSISTANCE OF THE SMALL BUSINESS ADVISORY BOARD AND OTHER APPROPRI-
ATE STATE AGENCIES, IDENTIFY ISSUES RELATING TO CRIME AFFECTING SMALL
BUSINESSES AND ASSIST THE ADVISORY BOARD AND THE DIVISION IN MAKING
RECOMMENDATIONS FOR LEGISLATIVE, REGULATORY AND PROGRAMMATIC ACTIONS TO
ADDRESS SUCH ISSUES.
§ 2. Paragraph (n) of subdivision 1 of section 16-m of section 1 of
chapter 174 of the laws of 1968, constituting the New York state urban
development corporation act, as added by chapter 298 of the laws of
2012, is amended and a new paragraph (o) is added to read as follows:
(n) Loans, loan guarantees, interest subsidies and grants to busi-
nesses, municipalities, industrial development agencies and local and
regional economic development corporations, not-for-profit corporations,
business improvement districts, regional marketing authorities and agri-
cultural cooperatives organized pursuant to the cooperative corporations
law, and other entities for the construction, reconstruction, improve-
ment, expansion or rehabilitation of wholesale regional farmers' markets
or food hubs that facilitate the sale and promotion of farm products
grown or produced in New York state.
For the purposes of this paragraph a wholesale regional farmers'
market or food hub is a market, business or organization that actively
manages the aggregation, distribution and marketing of source-identified
food products primarily from local or regional producers to satisfy
wholesale, retail and institutional demand for such products[.]; AND
(O) LOANS, LOAN GUARANTEES, INTEREST SUBSIDIES AND GRANTS TO SMALL
BUSINESSES, MUNICIPALITIES, NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPORATIONS OR OTHER ORGAN-
IZATIONS FOR THE PURPOSE OF PREVENTING CRIMES AGAINST SMALL BUSINESSES
OR ON THE PREMISES OR IN THE VICINITY OF SMALL BUSINESSES, INCLUDING
SUCH ACTIVITIES AS INITIATING OR MAINTAINING BUSINESS WATCH PROGRAMS,
INSTALLATION OF LIGHTING, SECURITY EQUIPMENT AND OTHER PHYSICAL IMPROVE-
MENTS TO PREVENT OR DETER CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES, AND THE DEVELOPMENT AND
DISSEMINATION OF INFORMATION TO OWNERS, OPERATORS AND EMPLOYEES OF SMALL
BUSINESSES ON EFFECTIVE CRIME PREVENTION STRATEGIES. PREFERENCE IN
AWARDING ASSISTANCE PURSUANT TO THIS PARAGRAPH SHALL BE GIVEN TO
PROJECTS THAT WILL BENEFIT DISTRESSED AREAS OR OTHER AREAS WITH A DEMON-
STRATED NEED BASED ON CRIME STATISTICS, PROJECTS THAT PROVIDE A LOCAL OR
PRIVATE-SECTOR MATCH, AND PROJECTS THAT DEMONSTRATE A LIKELIHOOD OF
POSITIVE IMPACT ON CRIME PREVENTION. THE DIVISION OF CRIMINAL JUSTICE
SERVICES SHALL PROVIDE ASSISTANCE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROGRAM OF
SMALL BUSINESS CRIME PREVENTION ASSISTANCE.
§ 3. Section 837 of the executive law is amended by adding a new
subdivision 24 to read as follows:
24. PROVIDE ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE TO THE DIVISION FOR SMALL BUSINESS
IN DEVELOPING AND OPERATING A PROGRAM OF SMALL BUSINESS CRIME PREVENTION
SERVICES PURSUANT TO SECTION ONE HUNDRED THIRTY-NINE-A OF THE ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT LAW, AND PROVIDE ADVICE AND ASSISTANCE TO THE URBAN DEVELOP-
MENT CORPORATION IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROGRAM OF SMALL BUSINESS
CRIME PREVENTION ASSISTANCE PURSUANT TO PARAGRAPH (O) OF SUBDIVISION ONE
OF SECTION SIXTEEN-M OF SECTION ONE OF CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY-FOUR
OF THE LAWS OF NINETEEN HUNDRED SIXTY-EIGHT.
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§ 4. This act shall take effect on the first of April next succeeding
the date on which it shall have become a law; provided, however, that
the department of economic development, the New York state urban devel-
opment corporation and the division of criminal justice services shall
be immediately authorized to take any and all actions necessary to fully
implement the provisions of this act on such date; and further provided
that the amendments to section 16-m of the urban development corporation
act made by section two of this act shall not affect the expiration of
such section and shall be deemed to expire therewith.