Assemblyman Al Stirpe (D-Cicero) announced that he sponsored and passed a bill to help small businesses stay up to date on New York State regulatory changes (A.6503). The bill builds on previous legislation similarly designed to make state resources more accessible to small businesses (Ch. 17 of 2021).

“As the chair of the Assembly Small Business Committee and former small-business owner, I understand how difficult it can be to keep up with rapidly changing and often confusing state regulations,” Stirpe said. “In the wake of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic, my Assembly colleagues and I are committed to helping the small business community rebuild and thrive.”

Stirpe’s bill, written in response to recent committee hearings, public forums and time spent discussing these issues with local small-business owners, would require the Department of State to compile and publish a list of legal and regulatory changes to business law, in plain English, for use by small businesses. Stirpe also recently passed a budget that includes $1 billion in financial assistance for small businesses, including special grants for industries most hurt by the pandemic – like concert venues, theaters and restaurants – as well as $800 million to establish the COVID-19 Pandemic Small Businesses Recovery Grant Program. This additional budget funding, combined with measures to make rules and regulations more accessible to small-business owners, will help New York’s economy build back stronger, Stirpe noted.