What's happening
This bill creates regional advocates to support and advance minority and women-owned businesses through outreach, assistance, and reporting.
Why it matters
Creates dedicated regional advocates. who will work within each economic development region, providing more localized and tailored support for minority and women-owned business enterprises (MWBEs), addressing unique challenges faced at the regional level.
Expands outreach and educational efforts. , requiring regional advocates to conduct regular (bi-annual) outreach programs for MWBEs and annual educational seminars for state agencies, which could improve awareness, access to resources, and agency accountability.
Improves transparency and accountability. in the MWBE certification process by mandating regional advocates to document and report reasons for application delays or denials, as well as collect and submit annual data and recommendations to the statewide advocate and director.
Aims to streamline support and feedback loops. between MWBEs, regional offices, and state leadership, potentially leading to more responsive policies, targeted assistance, and better identification and resolution of systemic barriers facing minority and women entrepreneurs.
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Who cares
Headline styles
Create MWBE Regional Advocates
Plain English, a few words. Used as the page title.
Sponsors
History
- Referred to finance
- Referred to finance
Full text
2 pagesUnderlined is new[Struck] is removedOfficial text on nysenate.gov ↗
STATE OF NEW YORK
872
2025-2026 Regular Sessions
IN SENATE (Prefiled)
January 8, 2025
Introduced by Sens. BAILEY, FERNANDEZ, PARKER, SANDERS, WEBB -- 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 amended by chapter 96 of the laws of 2019, 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 receive and investigate complaints brought by or on behalf of MWBEs concerning certification delays and instances of violations of the requirements of this article by contractors and by state agencies. The statewide advocate may 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:
EXPLANATION--Matter in italics (underscored) is new; matter in brackets
[ ] is old law to be omitted.
LBD02117-01-5
§ 311-b. Minority and women-owned business enterprise regional advocates. 1. Regional advocate. There is hereby established within each of 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
To create a regional advocate for MWBEs.
Summary of provisions
The bill amends the relevant provisions of the executive law to create regional advocates for MWBEs. The advocates will, among other things, help develop educational outreach programs and create awareness of competitive grants. Duties include providing certain assistance to certified MWBEs and applicants, as well as document reasons for any denials or delays in the certification process.
Justification
The bill would help MWBEs with issues surrounding certification delays and instances of violations of the requirements of this article by contractors and state agencies.
Prior legislative history
2013-14: Referred to Finance
2015-16: Referred to Finance
2017-18: Referred to Finance
2019-20: Referred to Finance
2021-22: Referred to Finance
2023-24: Referred to Finance
Fiscal implications
TBD.
Effective date
This act shall take effect on the one hundred eightieth day after becom- ing a law, with provisions.
Summaries, headlines and scores are AI-generated from the official bill text. How we score bills. Source: NYS Open Legislation.