Creates the "veteran owned business enterprise act" to promote such business enterprises

BILL NUMBER:S4208

Title of bill

An act to amend the executive law, the state finance law, the arts and cultural affairs law, the economic development law, the environmental conservation law, the public authorities law, the general municipal law, the banking law, the facilities development corporation act, the New York state medical care facilities finance agency act and the New York state urban development corporation act, in relation to promoting veteran owned business enterprises

Purpose

To create the "Veteran Owned Business Enterprise Act" to extend state benefits now offered to minority and women-owned business enterprises to honorably discharged veterans.

Summary of provisions

Section 1 consists of the short title, "Veteran Owned Business Enterprise Act".

Section 2 amends the heading of Article 15-A of the Executive Law to include the term veterans.

Sections 3 through 40 make amendments to Article 15-A of the Executive Law, Section 136-b, 139-i, 213 and 218 of the State Finance Law, Section 3.07 of the Arts and cultural Affairs Law, Sections 115, 118, 210 and 231 of the Economic Development Law, section 52-0113 of the Environmental Conservation Law, Section 2879 of the public Authorities Law, sections 957, 959, 961, 962, 963, 964 and 970-r of the General Municipal Law, Section 454 of the Banking Law, Section 9-B of the Facilities Development Corporation Act, Section 16-b of the New York State Medical Care Facilities Finance Agency Act and Section 1 of the New York State Urban Development corporation Act to extend all of the state benefits now offered to minority and women-owned business enterprises to honorably discharged veteran-owned business enterprises.

Section 41 establishes the effective date.

Justification

Significant numbers of American service men and women are now returning from military operations connected with the Global War on Terror in Iraq, Afghanistan and other locations around the world. Unfortunately, these service members have been removed from the workforce, their communities and their families during the course of these operations. When duty called, they put their careers and day-to-day lives on hold to protect our freedom. It is a moral imperative that the various levels of government do all that is within their power to honor these men and women for their dedicated service to our country.

One of the ways that New York State can meet this moral obligation is to assist veterans in the creation and establishment of their own businesses. This will not only assist veterans but also help New York's economy by generating more economic activity that leads to prosperity and jobs. Article 15-A of the Executive Law created the Division of Minority and Women's Business Development within Empire State Development in 1988, to promote the participation of minority and women-owned businesses in the state contracting and procurement process. This law was designed to help enterprises owned by members of

groups previously unfairly discriminated against receive their fair share of state business and assist the owners of these businesses with State Procurement Law compliance. It is reasonable that veterans be afforded the same afforded to these other New Yorkers. These Americans have sacrificed much for our country and are deserving of our help, The Veteran Owned Business Enterprise Act creates no new government program but-simply changes definitions in the current law to make honorably discharged veterans eligible for all of the same benefits now available to minority and women-owned businesses. It does not reduce in any way the assistance afforded to minority and women-owned businesses but rather extends the same benefits to some incredibly deserving New Yorkers.

Legislative history

S. 6819 of 2012, died in Finance.

Fiscal implications

None.

Effective date

Immediately, with provisions.