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A05458 Summary:

A05458 Actions:

A05458 Floor Votes:

A05458 Text:

 
                STATE OF NEW YORK
        ________________________________________________________________________
 
                                          5458
 
                               2009-2010 Regular Sessions
 
                   IN ASSEMBLY
 
                                    February 13, 2009
                                       ___________
 
        Introduced  by  M. of A. TITUS, CLARK, JOHN, MILLMAN, ESPAILLAT, LAVINE,
          TOWNS, CARROZZA, PERRY, PAULIN, MAISEL,  MORELLE,  P. RIVERA,  FIELDS,
          COOK,  SCHROEDER,  ROBINSON,  POWELL,  PEOPLES,  CHRISTENSEN, DESTITO,
          HYER-SPENCER, BARRON -- Multi-Sponsored by -- M. of A.  ALFANO,  BING,
          BOYLAND,  BRENNAN,  COLTON,  DelMONTE, GALEF, GUNTHER, HEASTIE, NOLAN,

          PHEFFER, J. RIVERA, SWEENEY -- read once and referred to the Committee
          on Small Business
 
        AN ACT to amend the executive law,  in  relation  to  creating  regional
          minority and women-owned business enterprise advocate
 
          The  People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assem-
        bly, do enact as follows:
 
     1    Section 1. Section 310 of the executive law is amended by adding a new
     2  subdivision 18 to read as follows:
     3    18.  "Regional advocate" shall mean the person appointed by the state-
     4  wide advocate to serve in the capacity of minority and women-owned busi-
     5  ness enterprise regional advocate.
     6    § 2. Subdivision 2 of section 311-a of the executive law, as added  by
     7  section  4  of  part BB of chapter 59 of the laws of 2006, is amended to
     8  read as follows:

     9    2. The advocate shall act as a liaison for  minority  and  women-owned
    10  business  enterprises  (MWBEs)  to  assist  them in obtaining technical,
    11  managerial, financial and other business assistance for certified  busi-
    12  nesses and applicants. The advocate shall investigate complaints brought
    13  by  or  on behalf of MWBEs concerning certification delays and instances
    14  of violations of law by state agencies.  The  statewide  advocate  shall
    15  assist certified businesses and applicants in the certification process,
    16  direct  regional  local  advocates  in  developing  educational outreach
    17  programs and create awareness of  competitive  grant  programs.    Other
    18  functions of the statewide advocate shall be directed by the commission-
    19  er.  The  advocate  may  request  and the director may appoint staff and
 

         EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
                              [ ] is old law to be omitted.
        A                                                          LBD04709-01-9
        A. 5458                             2
 
     1  employees of the division of minority and women business development  to
     2  support the administration of the office of the statewide advocate.
     3    §  3.  The  executive  law is amended by adding a new section 311-b to
     4  read as follows:
     5    § 311-b. Minority and women-owned business enterprise  regional  advo-
     6  cates. 1.  Regional advocate. There is hereby established within each of
     7  the  regional  offices  established  pursuant  to  article eleven of the
     8  economic development law an office of the minority and women-owned busi-

     9  ness enterprise regional advocate.
    10    2. Powers and duties. The regional advocates shall:
    11    (a)  provide  technical,  managerial,  financial  and  other  business
    12  assistance to certified minority and women businesses or applicants;
    13    (b) conduct outreach programs for MWBEs on a bi-annual basis;
    14    (c)  conduct  educational  seminars  for  state  agencies on an annual
    15  basis; and
    16    (d) shall be responsible for reporting the  number  and  certification
    17  applications received and processed by its region.
    18    3.  The  regional  advocate  shall document reasons for any denials or
    19  delays in the certification process. Regional advocates shall report  to
    20  the  statewide advocate and director by September thirtieth on an annual

    21  basis of recommendations to the state  certification  process,  outreach
    22  efforts and complaints received or resolved.
    23    § 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after
    24  it  shall  have  become a law; provided, however, that the amendments to
    25  article 15-A of the executive law made by this act shall not affect  the
    26  expiration of such article and shall expire therewith.