NY Econ Dev L § 134 (2021)
2021 New York Laws COM - Economic Development Law Article 4-B - Division for Small-Business 134 - Powers and Duties of the Division for Small-Business.

§  134.  Powers  and  duties  of  the division for small-business. The division shall have the power and duty to:   1.  coordinate  the  activities  of  all  state  agencies   performing functions affecting the operation of small-businesses in the state;   2.  receive complaints of operators of small-businesses and refer them to the appropriate federal, state or local agency authorized by law  for appropriate action on such complaints;   3.  advise  and  make  recommendations  to the commissioner on matters affecting the small-businesses of the state and  promote  and  encourage the  protection  of  the legitimate interests of small-businesses within the state;   4. conduct investigations, research, studies and analyses  of  matters affecting the interests of small-businesses;   5.  represent  the  interests  of small-businesses in the state before federal, state and local administrative and regulatory agencies;   6. study the operation of  the  laws  affecting  small-businesses  and recommend  to  the  commissioner new laws and amendments of laws for the benefit of small-businesses;   7. review pending legislation affecting  small-businesses  and  report its findings to the commissioner; and   8. initiate and encourage small-business education programs in general and  to  coordinate with the functions of the office of general services an  information  and  outreach   program   directed   toward   informing small-businesses  in the state of procedures necessary for competing for state purchases and to coordinate with  the  functions  of  every  state agency,  department  or  authority  described  in  section  one  hundred thirty-nine-g of the state finance law, pursuant to subdivision  (b)  of section   one  hundred  thirty-nine-g  of  the  state  finance  law,  an information   and   outreach   program   directed    toward    informing small-businesses  in the state of procedures necessary for competing for state  contracts,   including   without   limitation   educating   small contractors  about  surety  bonding requirements on state contracts, and identifying resources available to such contractors in  obtaining  their first  bond  and in increasing their bonding capacity, including but not limited to the federal  small  business  administration  bond  guarantee program.   9.  the  commissioner and the commissioners of agriculture and markets and  the  office  of  general  services  shall  initiate  and  encourage small-business  education  programs and coordinate with the functions of the office of general services, pursuant to subdivision (b)  of  section one  hundred  sixty-one-b  of  the state finance law, an information and outreach program directed toward informing eligible  businesses  in  the state  of  procedures  necessary  for  competing  for  purchases of food products pursuant to section one hundred  seventy-four-a  of  the  state finance  law and subdivision eight-a of section one hundred three of the general municipal law, and to coordinate with  the  functions  of  every state  agency  or department described in subdivision (b) of section one hundred thirty-nine-g of the  state  finance  law,  an  information  and outreach  program  directed  toward informing eligible businesses in the state of procedures  necessary  for  competing  for  contracts  for  the purchase of food products pursuant to section one hundred seventy-four-a of  the state finance law and subdivision eight-a of section one hundred three of the general municipal law.   10. conduct a survey of all  business  incubators  in  the  state  and assess  the  need  for  additional  incubator  facilities to nurture the growth and development of small businesses.   11. provide assistance to small business in the state, and  facilitate access   to  programs  serving  small  business,  to  ensure  that  such  businesses benefit, as needed, from  technical,  managerial,  financial, and  general  business assistance; training; marketing; organization and personnel skill development; project management  assistance;  technology assistance;  bond and insurance education assistance; online marketplace lending  awareness  and  assistance;  and  other  business   development assistance.  In  addition,  either  independently or in conjunction with other state agencies:  (a) develop a clearinghouse of information on  programs  and  services provided by entities that may assist such businesses;  (b)  seek  to  maximize  utilization  by small businesses of available federal resources including but not limited to  federal  grants,  loans, loan  guarantees,  surety  bonding guarantees, technical assistance, and programs and services of the federal small business administration; and  (c) develop and implement,  in  conjunction  with  the  department  of financial   services,   a  small  business  online  marketplace  lending education and outreach campaign to educate businesses in  plain-language as  to  the  true  costs  associated  with  obtaining  loans from online marketplace lenders including true and up-front transparent pricing  and terms,  the  disclosure  of annualized percentage rates, interest rates, fees and charges; disclosure of terms for  repayment,  early  repayment, and refinancing of a loan and any penalties that may be applied; and any other information that is deemed necessary by the department of economic development.  The  department  of economic development shall develop and implement a plan  to  distribute  such  information  to  small  business owners,  including  but not limited to, printed material, publication on the internet and through coordination with  other  state  entities  that routinely  interact  with small businesses in this state. The department of economic development  shall  make  translations  of  all  educational materials  available  in languages other than English, including the six most common non-English languages spoken by individuals in this state.   12. compile an  annual  report  on  the  state  of  small  businesses, particularly  those  with  twenty-five  employees or less which shall be known as  micro-businesses  under  this  subdivision.  The  commissioner shall,  on  or  before  June  first,  two thousand fourteen and annually thereafter, submit to the  governor,  the  temporary  president  of  the senate  and the speaker of the assembly a report that shall include, but not be limited to, the following information for each calendar year:  (a) the growth and economic trends of small businesses  which  may  be categorized by various small business sizes and/or sectors;  (b)  an analysis of relevant and available employment, statistical and economic data of the various small business sectors throughout New  York state, which may be categorized by various small business sizes;  (c) suggestions to improve the efficiency of existing loan programs;  (d) suggestions to improve small business growth;  (e) statistical and economic analysis of the state of small businesses by various small business sizes and/or sectors; and  (f)  identification  and  review  of  the local and state regulations, fines  and  penalties  particular  to  small  businesses  which  may  be categorized by various small business sizes and/or sectors.   The  division shall collaborate with other state and local agencies to develop the annual report. The office shall maintain  and  publish  such information  on  the  small  business directory webpage in a manner that allows individuals to search the  report  by  name,  date,  or  type  of statistics.  The  format  of  the  annual  report  shall be developed in consultation  with  various  small  business  owners   to   ensure   the information  collected, analyzed, and published for the purposes of this subdivision is representative of all small businesses in the state.