What's happening
This bill directs the Empire State Development Corporation to study and report on the feasibility of a mentorship program for minority and women-owned businesses.
Why it matters
Targets gaps in state contracting. By examining which agencies and industries (construction, professional services, non-professional services, commodities) would benefit most, the study could identify where mentorship would have the greatest impact for minority and women-owned businesses in state contracting.
Considers prequalification incentives. The bill explores whether successful mentorship completion could help minority and women-owned businesses prequalify for state opportunities, potentially lowering barriers to entry and increasing access to state contracts.
Addresses implementation realities. It requires analysis of not just program design, but also regulatory and statutory changes, costs, staffing needs, and any actions necessary to get a mentorship program running—ensuring practical challenges are considered up front.
Mandates accountability and follow-through. The legislation sets deadlines for reporting findings and documenting implementation actions, pushing the state to not only study the issue but also to act on recommendations and provide a transparent record of progress.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Study Mentorship for MWBEs
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
Senator · Senate District 40
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Reported and committed to finance
- Referred to investigations and government operations
Companion bill
The same bill in the other chamber. A bill becomes law when one version passes both houses and the governor signs it, so either number can carry it.
Study Mentorship for Minority Businesses
In Senate Committee · Investigations And Government Operations · Sponsor Rodneyse Bichotte Hermelyn
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
7686
IN SENATE
February 8, 2018
Introduced by Sen. MURPHY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Investigations and Government Operations
AN ACT to direct the empire state development corporation to conduct a study on the feasibility of a minority and women-owned business enterprise capacity mentorship program
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. 1. The empire state development corporation shall conduct a study to explore the feasibility of a minority and women-owned business enterprise capacity mentorship program. The study should focus on which agencies and industries would benefit most from such program, the utilization of any existing minority and women-owned business enterprise mentorship programs, and any fiscal implications. The study shall specifically focus on:
a. which state agencies would benefit most from such program concentrating in construction;
b. which state agencies would benefit most from such program concentrating in professional services;
c. which state agencies would benefit most from such program concentrating in non-professional services;
d. which state agencies would benefit most from such program concentrating in purchases of commodities;
e. the duration of time minority and women-owned business enterprises should participate in each program concentration described in paragraphs a through d of this subdivision;
f. the feasibility that such successful completion of such program could be used as a factor for prequalifying participating minority and women-owned business enterprises; and
g. how such program can be tailored to better prepare minority and women-owned business enterprises for bidding on contracts with such agencies upon successful completion of the program.
2. Within twelve months of the effective date of this act, the empire state development corporation shall issue a report of its findings and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD01033-01-7
S. 7686 2
recommendations to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly. Such report shall include, but not be limited to, the following:
a. actions that can be implemented to establish such capacity mentorship program, a plan of action for such implementation, and the estimated cost of the program including any additional division personnel that may be required;
b. any regulatory actions required by any agency in order to implement such program, a plan of action for implementing such actions, and the estimated cost of such implementation;
c. actions that require statutory changes in order to be implemented and the estimated cost of such implementation; and
d. the extent to which any existing minority and women-owned business enterprise mentorship program, including pursuant to section 147 of the state finance law, has been implemented, and the relative success of such programs.
3. Within twenty-four months of the effective date of this act, the empire state development corporation shall issue a report detailing the actions taken to implement the recommendations of such study to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly. Such report shall include a full examination of all aspects of a minority and women-owned business enterprise capacity mentorship program, the benefits of such program, a proposed plan of action for the permanent establishment of such program and the estimated cost of such program.
§ 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to direct the empire state development corpo- ration to conduct a study on the feasibility of a minority and women- owned business enterprise capacity mentorship program
Purpose
The purpose of this bill is to study which state agencies and industries would benefit most from having a capacity-building/mentorship program, the duration and cost of such program, and whether successful completion of such program could pre-qualify participating MWBEs.
Summary of provisions
Section one of the bill requires ESDC to conduct a study to explore the feasibility of a MWBE capacity mentorship program, and requires the study to focus on which state agencies would benefit most from concen- tration in certain areas, the appropriate duration of time of the program for each concentration, the feasibility of using such program to pre-qualify MWBEs, and how each program could be tailored to better prepare MWBEs for bidding on contracts.
It would also require ESDC to issue a report of its findings and recom- mendations to the Governor, the temporary president of the Senate, and the speaker of the Assembly within 12 months, and state certain require- ments for the report's contents.
It would further require another report by ESDC within 24 months detail- ing the actions taken to implement the recommendations of such study.
Section two of the bill provides the effective date.
Justification
This bill would increase the pool of qualified MWBEs and encourage coop- eration between ESDC, state agencies, and prospective MWBE owners.
Legislative history
New Bill
Fiscal implications
None
Effective date
This act shall take effect immediately.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.