What's happening
This bill creates regional advocates to support, educate, and report on minority and women-owned businesses across New York State.
Why it matters
Establishes new regional advocates as direct contacts for MWBE businesses. , meaning business owners will have more local, accessible support for navigating government processes and accessing resources.
Mandates regular outreach and educational programs. , which could help raise awareness about certification opportunities, grant programs, and address barriers faced by minority and women-owned businesses.
Requires systematic tracking and reporting on certification processes and outcomes. , aiming to increase transparency and accountability regarding why applications are approved, delayed, or denied, and to identify systemic issues or improvements.
Facilitates better communication between state agencies and MWBEs. by having regional advocates provide annual feedback and recommendations to the statewide office, potentially leading to more responsive and effective policies.
Albany, before your first meeting.
Every bill that moved yesterday, summarized in a sentence and ranked by impact. The Albany Scorecard follows on Sundays.
Free. Unsubscribe in one click. Want alerts on specific bills? Create an account.
Who cares
Headline styles
Add MWBE Regional Advocates
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
1 Co-sponsor
History
- Referred to finance
- Referred to finance
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
2195
2019-2020 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE
January 23, 2019
Introduced by Sen. BAILEY -- read twice and ordered printed, and when printed to be committed to the Committee on Finance
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 Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 310 of the executive law is amended by adding a new subdivision 24 to read as follows:
24. "Regional advocate" shall mean the person appointed by the statewide advocate to serve in the capacity of minority and women-owned business enterprise regional advocate.
§ 2. Subdivision 2 of section 311-a of the executive law, as added by section 4 of part BB of chapter 59 of the laws of 2006, is amended to read as follows:
2. The advocate shall act as a liaison for minority and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs) to assist them in obtaining technical, managerial, financial and other business assistance for certified businesses and applicants. The advocate shall investigate complaints brought by or on behalf of MWBEs concerning certification delays and instances of violations of law by state agencies. The statewide advocate shall assist certified businesses and applicants in the certification process, direct regional local advocates in developing educational outreach programs and create awareness of competitive grant programs. Other functions of the statewide advocate shall be directed by the commissioner. The advocate may request and the director may appoint staff and employees of the division of minority and women business development to support the administration of the office of the statewide advocate.
§ 3. The executive law is amended by adding a new section 311-b to read as follows:
§ 311-b. Minority and women-owned business enterprise regional advocates. 1. Regional advocate. There is hereby established within each of
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD05419-01-9
S. 2195 2
the regional offices established pursuant to article eleven of the economic development law an office of the minority and women-owned business enterprise regional advocate.
2. Powers and duties. The regional advocates shall:
(a) provide technical, managerial, financial and other business assistance to certified minority and women businesses or applicants;
(b) conduct outreach programs for MWBEs on a bi-annual basis;
(c) conduct educational seminars for state agencies on an annual basis; and
(d) shall be responsible for reporting the number and certification applications received and processed by its region.
3. The regional advocate shall document reasons for any denials or delays in the certification process. Regional advocates shall report to the statewide advocate and director by September thirtieth on an annual basis of recommendations to the state certification process, outreach efforts and complaints received or resolved.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after it shall have become a law; provided, however, that the amendments to article 15-A of the executive law made by this act shall not affect the expiration of such article and shall expire therewith.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Sponsor's memo
Title of bill
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to creating regional minority and women-owned business enterprise advocate
Purpose or general idea of bill
The purpose of this legislation is to aid in the assistance of obtaining technical, managerial, financial and other business assistance for certified businesses and applicants.
Summary of specific provisions
Amends the Executive Law to provide for definitions; adds new sections 311-a & b to establish within the Empire State Development Corporation an Office of Minority Women Business Enterprise (MWBE) Statewide and Regional Advocate; establishes for powers and duties to include investi- gating complaints concerning certification delays and toll-free tele- phone service.
Amends the Economic Development Law to set forth reporting requirements and advise the Commissioner on recommendations for the selection of Statewide Advocate for Minority and Women Business Enterprises as set forth by section 311-a of the Executive Law.
Justification
Since 2002, the Senate and the Assembly have held hearings across the State in order to review the effectiveness of the State's Laws (Article 15-A of the Executive Law) and cc obtain feedback from MWBE owners. Hearings were held in Buffalo, Syracuse, Utica, Albany and New York City. As a result of this, in 2010 a disparity study was pub ished. However, the study did not address the need for regional MWBE advocates.
One notable theme echoed at all the hearings was the difficulty in obtaining technical, managerial, financial and educational support. Other difficulties were improving and updating the existing database to include links to others state agencies so that MWEE's can market them- selves effectively and seek contract opportunities.
Allowing advocates to act as a liaison for MWBE's will provide a voice and aid in resolving concerns regarding certification delays, investi- gating complaints, along with assisting in the certification process. Advocates will also play an important role in developing educational outreach programs and creating awareness of competitive grant programs.
It is essential for WEE'S to be able to get assistance from the state to move them into a competitive position with non-minority and women-owned business enterprises. This legislation provides a vehicle to see that that goal is met.
Prior legislative history
2017-18: S.3350/A.5177(Titus)- Referred to Finance
Fiscal implications for state and local governments
To be determined.
Effective date
180 days following enactment.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.