Amd Art 15-A Art Head, §§310, 311, 313 & 317, Exec L; amd §§136-b, 139-i, 213 & 218, St Fin L; amd §3.07,
Arts & Cul L; amd §§115, 118, 210 & 231, Ec Dev L; amd §52-0113, En Con L; amd §2879, Pub Auth L; amd §§957,
959, 961, 962, 963, 964 & 970-r, Gen Muni L; amd §454, Bank L; amd §9-b, Fac Dev Corp Act; amd §16-b, NYS Med
Care Fac Fin Ag Act; amd §§16-a, 16-c, 16-d, 16-e, 16-f, 16-k, 16-m, 30, 30-a & 38, UDC Act
Creates the "veteran owned business enterprise act" to promote such business enterprises and includes service related veteran owned businesses with minority and women owned businesses.
NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A4490
SPONSOR: Kolb (MS) TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the executive law, the state finance law, the arts and
cultural affairs law, the economic development law, the environmental
conservation law, the public authorities law, the general municipal law,
the banking law, the facilities development corporation act, the New
York state medical care facilities finance agency act and the New York
state urban development corporation act, in relation to promoting veter-
an owned business enterprises
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
To create the "Veteran Owned Business Enterprise Act" to extend state
benefits now offered to minority and women-owned business enterprises to
honorably discharged veterans.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section 1 consists of the short title, "Veteran Owned Business Enter-
prise Act".
Section 2 amends the heading of Article 15-A of the Executive Law to
include the term veterans.
Sections 3 through 39 make amendments to Article 15-A of the Executive
Law, Sections 136-b, 139-i, 213 and 218 of the State Finance Law,
Section 3.07 of the Arts and Cultural Affairs Law, Sections 115, 118,
210 and 231 of the Economic Development Law, Section 52-0113 of the
Environmental Conservation Law, Section 2879 of the Public Authorities
Law, Sections 957, 959, 961, 962, 963, 964 and 970-r of the General
Municipal Law, Section 454 of the Banking Law, Section 9-B of the Facil-
ities Development Corporation Act, Section 16-b of the New York State
Medical Care Facilities Finance Agency Act and Section 1 of the New York
State Urban Development Corporation Act to extend all of the state bene-
fits now offered to minority and women-owned business enterprises to
honorably discharged veteran-owned business enterprises.
Section 40 establishes the effective date.
JUSTIFICATION:
Significant numbers of American service men and women are now returning
from military operations connected with the Global War on Terror in
Iraq, Afghanistan and other locations around the world. Unfortunately,
these service members have been removed from the workforce, their commu-
nities and their families during the course of these operations. When
duty called, they put their careers and day-to-day lives on hold to
protect our freedom. It is a moral imperative that the various levels of
government do all that is within their power to honor these men and
women for their dedicated service to our country.
One of the ways that New York State can meet this moral obligation is to
assist veterans in the creation and establishment of their own busi-
nesses. This will not only assist veterans but also help New York's
economy by generating more economic activity that leads to prosperity
and jobs. Article 15-A of the Executive Law created the Division of
Minority and Women's Business Development within Empire State Develop-
ment in 1988, to promote the participation of minority and women-owned
businesses in the state contracting and procurement process. This law
was designed to help enterprises owned by members of groups previously
unfairly discriminated against receive their fair share of state busi-
ness and assist the owners of these businesses with State Procurement
Law compliance. It is reasonable that veterans be afforded the same
benefits afforded to these other New Yorkers. These Americans have
sacrificed much for our country and are deserving of our help. The
Veteran Owned Business Enterprise Act creates no new government program
but simply changes definitions in the current law to make honorably
discharged veterans eligible for all of the same benefits now available
to minority and women-owned businesses. It does not reduce in any way
the assistance afforded to minority and women-owned businesses but rath-
er extends the same benefits to some incredibly deserving New Yorkers.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
A.6142 (2017-18), Held in Veterans' Affairs;
A.4418 (2015-16), Held in Veterans' Affairs;
A.1735 (2013-14), Held in Veterans' Affairs;
A.9228 (2012), Held in Veterans' Affairs.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS:
None
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect immediately.
