S T A T E O F N E W Y O R K
________________________________________________________________________
1913
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
I N A S S E M B L Y
January 14, 2025
___________
Introduced by M. of A. SMULLEN, ANGELINO, BLANKENBUSH, LEMONDES,
BEEPHAN, E. BROWN, BUTTENSCHON -- read once and referred to the
Committee on Economic Development
AN ACT to amend the New York state urban development corporation act, in
relation to establishing the rural equity assistance program
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK, REPRESENTED IN SENATE AND ASSEM-
BLY, DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS:
Section 1. Section 1 of chapter 174 of the laws of 1968, constituting
the New York state urban development corporation act, is amended by
adding a new section 16-jj to read as follows:
§ 16-JJ. RURAL EQUITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. 1. AS USED IN THIS SECTION
THE FOLLOWING TERMS SHALL HAVE THE FOLLOWING MEANINGS:
(A) "RURAL AREA" SHALL HAVE THE SAME MEANING AS SUCH TERM IS DEFINED
IN SUBDIVISION 8 OF SECTION 260 OF THE AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS LAW.
(B) "SMALL TOWN" MEANS A TOWN IN THE STATE WITH A POPULATION OF LESS
THAN 5,000 AT THE DATE OF THE MOST RECENT UNITED STATES CENSUS BUREAU
DECENNIAL CENSUS.
(C) "MUNICIPALITY" MEANS A CITY, COUNTY, TOWN, VILLAGE, OR OTHER POLI-
TICAL SUBDIVISION OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK LOCATED WITHIN A RURAL AREA.
(D) "NOT-FOR-PROFIT ORGANIZATION" MEANS A DOMESTIC CORPORATION INCOR-
PORATED PURSUANT TO OR OTHERWISE SUBJECT TO THE NOT-FOR-PROFIT CORPO-
RATION LAW.
2. THERE IS HEREBY CREATED WITHIN THE CORPORATION, THE RURAL EQUITY
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM TO PROMOTE AND FACILITATE COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT IN THE SMALL TOWNS AND RURAL AREAS OF THE STATE. THE RURAL
EQUITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM SHALL COLLABORATE WITH MUNICIPALITIES, BUSI-
NESSES, REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT CORPORATIONS, NOT-FOR-PROFITS, AND OTHER
APPROPRIATE ENTITIES TO ACCESS FUNDING AND OTHER ASSISTANCE AVAILABLE TO
RURAL AREAS OF THE STATE.
3. (A) THE RURAL EQUITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM SHALL PROVIDE THE FOLLOWING
SERVICES TO SMALL TOWNS AND MUNICIPALITIES IN RURAL AREAS:
EXPLANATION--Matter in ITALICS (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD04557-01-5
A. 1913 2
(I) IDENTIFICATION OF GRANTS OR OTHER FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE
WHICH MAY FACILITATE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, SITING OF BUSINESSES, WORK-
FORCE DEVELOPMENT, BROADBAND DEPLOYMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT, OR
OTHER ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES; AND
(II) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN WRITING GRANTS, ACCESSING, AND COMPLETING
THE APPLICATION PROCESS FOR IDENTIFIED GRANTS OR OTHER FUNDING OPPORTU-
NITIES, INCLUDING WRITING APPLICATIONS FOR GRANTS OR OTHER FUNDING,
COORDINATION WITH PROVIDERS OF GRANTS OR OTHER FUNDING, STRATEGIC PLAN-
NING FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OR TIMING OF ACTIVITIES FUNDED BY GRANTS OR
OTHER FUNDING, AND COMPLIANCE WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF GRANT AWARDS OR
AWARDS OF OTHER FUNDING.
(B) THE RURAL EQUITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM SHALL PROVIDE SMALL TOWNS,
MUNICIPALITIES, AND NOT-FOR-PROFITS IN RURAL AREAS WITH SERVICES TO
FACILITATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN SUCH AREAS. THESE SERVICES SHALL
INCLUDE, BUT NOT BE LIMITED TO RECOMMENDING AVAILABLE GRANTS, TAX CRED-
ITS, OR OTHER INCENTIVES THAT A SMALL TOWN, MUNICIPALITY OR NOT-FOR-PRO-
FIT IN A RURAL AREA CAN USE TO ATTRACT BUSINESSES, SUPPORT EXISTING
BUSINESSES AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR RESIDENTS IN THAT COMMU-
NITY.
(C) IN PROVIDING SERVICES UNDER THIS SUBDIVISION, RURAL EQUITY ASSIST-
ANCE CENTERS, AS ESTABLISHED IN SUBDIVISION FOUR OF THIS SECTION, SHALL
COORDINATE WITH THE REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL WITHIN THE
SAME REGION TO AVOID DUPLICATION OF BUSINESS RECRUITMENT AND WORKFORCE
DEVELOPMENT SERVICES ALREADY PROVIDED.
4. (A) THE EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION IS HEREBY EMPOWERED
AND SHALL ESTABLISH RURAL EQUITY ASSISTANCE CENTERS IN EACH OF THE TEN
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REGIONS THROUGHOUT THE STATE. RURAL EQUITY ASSIST-
ANCE CENTERS SHALL:
(I) SERVE AS A CENTER FOR INFORMATION REGARDING ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
RESOURCES AVAILABLE FROM THE STATE, FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, LOCAL AGENCIES
AND PRIVATE INVESTMENT;
(II) COORDINATE THE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS AND ACTIVITIES OF
STATE AGENCIES AND AUTHORITIES WITHIN THE REGION;
(III) PROVIDE OR ARRANGE FOR ASSISTANCE FOR SMALL TOWNS, MUNICI-
PALITIES, AND NOT-FOR-PROFITS IN RURAL AREAS OF THE STATE IN APPLYING
FOR ASSISTANCE FROM STATE, FEDERAL, LOCAL AND/OR PRIVATE ECONOMIC DEVEL-
OPMENT PROGRAMS; AND
(IV) PROVIDE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE IN APPLYING FOR NECESSARY LICENSES
OR PERMITS TO COMPLY WITH FEDERAL, STATE, OR LOCAL RULES AND REGU-
LATIONS.
(B) EACH RURAL EQUITY ASSISTANCE CENTER SHALL CONSIST OF A DEDICATED
REPRESENTATIVE FROM THE EMPIRE STATE DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, A GRANT
WRITER, AND ALL NECESSARY STAFF TO CARRY OUT THE DUTIES OF THE RURAL
EQUITY ASSISTANCE CENTER. ALL COSTS TO OPERATE SUCH CENTERS SHALL BE
PAID FOR OUT OF EXISTING RESOURCES OF THE CORPORATION.
(C) APPLICATIONS FOR ASSISTANCE PROVIDED BY THE RURAL EQUITY ASSIST-
ANCE PROGRAM SHALL BE SUBMITTED TO THE RURAL EQUITY ASSISTANCE CENTER
FOR THAT REGION, FOR NO FEE. IN PROVIDING SERVICES UNDER THIS SUBDIVI-
SION, A RURAL EQUITY ASSISTANCE CENTER SHALL GIVE PRIORITY TO PROJECTS
THAT HAVE RECEIVED NECESSARY STATE OR MUNICIPAL APPROVAL AND THAT ARE
READY FOR CONSTRUCTION OR IMPLEMENTATION.
5. BEGINNING ON JANUARY 1, 2026, AND ANNUALLY THEREAFTER, THE PRESI-
DENT OF THE CORPORATION SHALL SUBMIT TO THE GOVERNOR, SPEAKER OF THE
ASSEMBLY, MINORITY LEADER OF THE ASSEMBLY, TEMPORARY PRESIDENT OF THE
SENATE, AND MINORITY LEADER OF THE SENATE, A REPORT REGARDING THE ACTIV-
ITIES AND PROGRESS OF THE RURAL EQUITY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM. THE REPORT
A. 1913 3
SHALL SUMMARIZE THE PROGRAM'S ACTIVITIES FROM THE PRECEDING YEAR; EVALU-
ATE THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE SERVICES PROVIDED BY THE PROGRAM; PROVIDE
AN ACCOUNTING OF THE GRANTS OR OTHER FUNDING THAT THE PROGRAM FACILI-
TATED OR HELPED SECURE; AND RECOMMEND ANY CHANGES TO THE PROGRAM TO
FURTHER ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT IN SMALL TOWNS AND MUNICIPALITIES IN RURAL
AREAS OF THE STATE.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.