Relates to the addition of an article twenty-three titled the New York State Veteran Entrepreneurship and Employment Opportunity Centers

Summary of provisions

Adds a new Article 23 to the economic development law, New York State Veteran Entrepreneurship And Employment Opportunity Centers. Key points:

* Program: A network of 11 Veterans Entrepreneurship and Employment Opportunity Centers at Incubators and Hotspots in each of the state's 10 economic development regions, plus an anchor institution. The commissioner of economic development is to consult with the director of the division of veterans affairs in making the designations.

* Application - by an incubator or hotspot in response to an RFP. Applications include a plan which shows that the center has the required 2SCRIPT funding match and

-Services: an integrated program of entrepreneurial and employment services for veterans and disabled veterans designed by the commissioner and the director of the division of veterans affairs and the anchor institution.

-Commitment: a three year commitment to the center plan.

-Community support: from business and government leaders and organizations.

-Best practices: use best practices and multi-year metrics for performance.

-Advisory council. must include one or more veterans and disabled veterans, and individuals with business, financing, legal, and market expertise.

* Operation and re-designation. Requires the commissioner to evaluate the operations of centers and if unsatisfied, notify the center, which is required to timely remedy the problem. Centers are re-designated on application every three years unless they receive a negative evaluation and fails to remedy defects, or the commissioner determines that defects are of such extent that they cannot be remedied.

* Anchor. The anchor provides technical, training, curriculum and oversight services. The anchor must have a track record of providing services to veterans and also:

-be a university-based entity with national expertise and training programs and a credible track record in providing entrepreneurship and career training for veterans;

-currently provide entrepreneurship and employment programs including career transition programs for veterans;

-provide and be able to provide certification exams, up to and including six sigma black belt or similar programs;

-have resident expertise and a credible reputation that allows it to provide training, guidance, oversight, etc. to the centers;

-be able to create a network with the centers using ongoing contact through onsite visits, as well as electronic visual meetings and classes;

-provide or collaborate on a coordinated summer residency;

-be able to develop targeted courses, training, mentoring to aid in developing markets and market opportunities for veteran-owned companies and individuals;

-understand how to leverage disability-related entrepreneurship resources including VR, VA/VRF IDAs for entrepreneurship, and related work incentives for social security benefits; and

-have experience in addressing disability-related impacts on entrepreneurship.

* Report. Requires an annual report.

Existing law

New bill.

Justification

The many veterans returning to New York from Afghanistan and Iraq and other areas are looking to have, resume, or start their careers. These centers when created will train and provide guidance specially and expertly tailored to vets.

Incubators and hotspots already have a full program of entrepreneurship counseling, courses, and mentoring available to all clients. Joining the centers to the regime of services available at the incubators and hotspots will focus these services, and adding employment training services will provide a full service of options to each individual vet.

There are no other programs like this in New York.

Fiscal implications

$1.5 million annually if fully funded.

Effective date

September 1 next succeeding the date on which it becomes law.