Directs the division of veterans' services to establish a searchable database of veteran-owned businesses; requires the use of a special mark to indicate service-disabled veteran-owned businesses.
This bill would amend the New York veterans’ services law to create a statewide directory of veteran-owned business enterprises and an internet-based searchable database for the public and state agencies. The Department of Veterans’ Services, working with the Division of Small Business, the Department of Labor, the Division of Service-Disabled Veterans’ Business Development, and the Office of General Services, would be responsible for developing, maintaining, and regularly updating the directory and database. The directory would categorize businesses by type of goods or services offered and identify where in the state they operate, and it would use a special mark to identify service-disabled veteran-owned businesses.
The bill also establishes a registration and verification process for businesses seeking inclusion in the directory. The department would be tasked with confirming whether a business qualifies as a veteran-owned business under the bill’s definition and would adopt rules governing approval, denial, or revocation of that status. In addition, the Office of General Services would use the information to create and maintain a centralized searchable database on its website, and the department would conduct outreach to notify eligible businesses about the new directory and database. The bill further updates existing veterans’ services law to require procurement seminars to include information on registering for the new directory and database.
The bill would add a new section 29-c to the veterans’ services law and amend subdivision 7 of section 4 of that law. It would create new administrative duties for the Department of Veterans’ Services and the Office of General Services, including business verification, outreach, database maintenance, and rulemaking. For veteran-owned businesses and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, the measure would improve visibility to state agencies, municipalities, authorities, and the public, potentially increasing access to procurement opportunities and business referrals.
The bill appears generally supportive of veteran entrepreneurship and procurement access, with no recorded opposition in the provided materials. Its purpose is framed as improving awareness, organization, and access to contracting opportunities for veteran-owned businesses, which suggests a positive reception among sponsors and likely stakeholders interested in veterans’ economic development. No committee transcript or vote data was provided, so there is no evidence of formal debate or recorded dissent in the available record.
The main policy questions raised by the bill are administrative rather than ideological: how businesses will be verified, what standards will govern approval or revocation, and how much coordination will be required among state agencies to keep the directory current. Another potential point of concern is the accuracy and maintenance burden of a statewide searchable database, especially if businesses change status or locations. The bill also distinguishes between veteran-owned businesses and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses, which may raise implementation questions about certification, marking, and consistency with existing procurement programs.