N.Y. COM Law § 118

§ 118. Power and duties. In addition to the power and duties conferred\nby section one hundred sixteen of this article, the division shall have\nthe additional power and duty to:\n 1. Coordinate with all state agencies performing functions affecting\nthe operations of minority business enterprises, and women-owned\nbusiness enterprises, as such terms are defined in section two hundred\nten of this chapter;\n 2. Receive complaints and inquiries of operators of minority and\nwomen-owned business enterprises and refer them to the appropriate\nfederal, state or local agency for appropriate action on such\ncomplaints;\n 3. Solicit recommendations from the operators of minority and\nwomen-owned business enterprises for improving existing state programs\nand refer such recommendations to the governor, the legislature and\nappropriate state agencies or authorities;\n 4. Advise and make recommendations to the commissioner and the\nlegislature on matters affecting the minority and women-owned business\nenterprises of the state and promote and encourage the protection of the\nlegitimate interests of minority and women-owned business enterprises\nwithin the state;\n 5. Conduct investigations, research, studies and analyses of matters\naffecting the interests of minority and women-owned business\nenterprises;\n 6. Study the implementation of the laws affecting minority and\nwomen-owned business enterprises and recommend to the commissioner new\nlaws and amendments of laws for the benefit of minority and women-owned\nbusiness enterprises; and review pending legislation affecting minority\nand women-owned business enterprises and report its findings to the\ncommissioner;\n 7. Provide technical assistance and information to minority and\nwomen-owned business enterprises in the state on economic development\nprograms administered by the department, including, but not limited to:\n(a) the empire zones program, established pursuant to article eighteen-B\nof the general municipal law, (b) the industrial effectiveness program,\nestablished pursuant to article seven of this chapter, (c) the economic\ndevelopment skills training program, established pursuant to article\neight of this chapter, and (d) the entrepreneurial assistance program,\nestablished pursuant to article nine of this chapter;\n 8. Provide technical assistance and information to minority and\nwomen-owned business enterprises in the state on economic development\nprograms administered by agencies other than the department, including,\nbut not limited to programs administered by the urban development\ncorporation, the job development authority and the science and\ntechnology foundation;\n 9. Be responsible for conducting minority and women-owned business\nenterprise assistance programs and for coordinating the activities of\nall other state agencies acting within the scope of this section; and\n 10
the department, including,\nbut not limited to programs administered by the urban development\ncorporation, the job development authority and the science and\ntechnology foundation;\n 9. Be responsible for conducting minority and women-owned business\nenterprise assistance programs and for coordinating the activities of\nall other state agencies acting within the scope of this section; and\n 10. Carry out the activities to implement the minority and women-owned\nbusiness enterprise assistance programs, to the extent practicable,\nwithin amounts appropriated therefor by;\n (a) collecting and maintaining information identifying certified\nminority and women-owned business enterprises within New York state;\n (b) collecting, maintaining, and providing information to potential\nusers identifying existing contracting and procurement opportunities\nwithin and outside New York state;\n (c) maintaining, providing and marketing a compilation of existing\nprograms providing assistance for minority and women-owned business\nenterprises;\n (d) identifying special needs and problems facing minority and\nwomen-owned business enterprises within New York state;\n (e) contacting institutions, organizations and commercial enterprises\nthat are potential consumers of minority and women-owned business\nproducts and services; urging their expanded consumption of such goods\nand services;\n (f) facilitating the establishment of minority and women-owned\nbusiness enterprises; and\n (g) providing information concerning local and regional opportunities\nfor minority and women-owned business enterprises.\n