What's happening
This bill requires New York State to promote and report on small businesses listed as historic, including through "I Love NY" branding.
Why it matters
Brings focused state support to historic small businesses. By mandating specific promotion and reporting on businesses listed on the historic registry, the bill aims to drive more attention, tourism, and resources to these unique local enterprises, potentially boosting their economic sustainability.
Requires measurable accountability. The bill adds requirements for the state to annually analyze and publicly report on how effective its efforts are in supporting historic small businesses, ensuring transparency and providing data to inform future policy or funding decisions.
Integrates small business heritage into major tourism branding. By embedding historic small businesses into the iconic "I Love NY" marketing, the bill leverages a widely recognized brand to reach both residents and tourists, increasing the visibility and appeal of these businesses as part of New York’s cultural identity.
Potentially influences local economies and preservation efforts. These changes could help historic small businesses access state resources, attract new customers, and encourage preservation of historic sites, strengthening local economies and community character.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Promote Historic Small Businesses
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
No co-sponsors yet.
History
- Signed chap.16
- Delivered to governor
- Returned to assembly
- Passed senateVote 61–0
- 3rd reading cal.72
- Substituted for S798
- Referred to rules
- Delivered to senate
- Passed assembly
- Ordered to third reading rules cal.37
- Rules report cal.37
- Reported
Show 2 earlier actions
- Reported referred to rules
- Referred to small business
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.
Promote Historic Small Businesses
Senate Floor Calendar · Sponsor Sean Ryan
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
432
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN ASSEMBLY (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by M. of A. WOERNER -- read once and referred to the Committee on Small Business
AN ACT to amend the economic development law, in relation to the promotion of local small businesses listed on the registry of historic businesses
The People of the State of New York, represented in Senate and Assembly, do enact as follows:
Section 1. Section 100 of the economic development law is amended by adding a new subdivision 16-c to read as follows:
16-c. to promote local small businesses listed on the registry of historic businesses maintained pursuant to section 14.11 of the parks, recreation and historic preservation law.
§ 2. Subdivisions 1 and 5 of section 152 of the economic development law, as amended by a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the economic development law relating to the creation of an "I Love NY Historic Small Business" niche brand, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 9268 and A. 10036, are amended to read as follows:
1. The department shall enact guidelines for the use of the brand, which shall include measures to allow for the expansion of the brand to fit niche and thematic marketing efforts[, including but not limited to an "I Love NY Historic Small Business" niche brand to highlight small businesses listed on the registry of historic businesses maintained pursuant to section 14.11 of the parks, recreation and historic preservation law]. When appropriate, the brand shall be applied to targeted promotional initiatives, and shall be leased at no cost to any public benefit corporation or not-for-profit, New York heritage trail tourism promotion agency, convention and visitors bureau or local government.
5. Reporting requirements. The department shall annually, on or before February first, submit to the governor, the temporary president of the senate and the speaker of the assembly, the tourism advisory council and
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02796-01-5
the chairs of the senate and assembly standing committees concerned with tourism a report on the department's activities related to the "I Love NY" [brands, including but not limited to the "I Love NY Historic Small Business" niche] brand, including but not limited to the following: (a) marketing plan including the annual and long term goals, specific plans, target regions and performance measures for marketing campaigns using the "I Love NY" brand [and "I Love NY Historic Small Business" niche brand]; (b) licensing activity including a list of all entities that licensed the "I Love NY" brand [and/or "I Love NY Historic Small Business" niche brand] and the total amount received from all licensing activities; (c) contractual services including a list of each entity providing services related to the "I Love NY" brand [and "I Love NY Historic Small Business" niche brand], the amount charged, the nature of the services and the relationship of these services to the department's marketing plan; (d) sponsorship activities utilizing the [brands] brand; [and] (e) an analysis of the effectiveness of the "I Love NY" brand [and "I Love NY Historic Small Business" niche brand] based promotions in stimulating tourism and recommendations for improved utilization of the brand; and (f) an analysis of the effectiveness of the department's effort to support historic small businesses through "I Love NY" brand based promotions and a list of the historic small businesses highlighted in the brand based promotions.
§ 3. Subdivision 1 of section 153 of the economic development law, as amended by a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the economic development law relating to the creation of an "I Love NY Historic Small Business" niche brand, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 9268 and A. 10036, is amended to read as follows:
1. The department shall create a new grant program designed to encourage an integrated thematic approach to tourism promotion. The program shall provide state matching funds to eligible entities not to exceed fifty thousand dollars annually. Eligible entities shall include two or more counties, or a series or collection of thematically related entities, choosing to market multiple, thematically related assets or activities in a single marketing campaign[, including but not limited to the "I Love NY Historic Small Business" niche brand]. The commissioner is directed to establish guidelines and an application process.
§ 4. This act shall take effect on the same date and in the same manner as a chapter of the laws of 2024 amending the economic development law relating to the creation of an "I Love NY Historic Small Business" niche brand, as proposed in legislative bills numbers S. 9268 and A. 10036, takes effect.
Reflowed for reading: line numbers and page breaks removed. Cite the official text.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.