New York Assembly Bill A07111

New York 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 3/20/25
• Refer: 3/20/25
• Refer: 1/7/26

Caption

Authorizes the empire state development corporation to retain an independent MWBE consultant firm for the purpose of helping reduce contractor violations of the provisions of article 15-A of the executive law; requires contractors in violation of the provisions of article 15-A of the executive law to retain independent monitors to oversee compliance.

Summary

This bill amends the Executive Law to give the Empire State Development Corporation authority to retain one or more independent MWBE consultant firms to help reduce contractor violations of Article 15-A, New York’s minority- and women-owned business enterprise contracting law. It also directs the director to require any contractor found in violation of Article 15-A to hire an independent monitor. The independent monitor would investigate how the violation occurred, help the contractor correct the problem, implement any required remedial action plan, and continue overseeing compliance until the contractor is no longer in violation. The monitor must also provide regular reports on the contractor’s compliance and progress to the MWBE contractor assigned to review the matter.

Impact

The bill would add a new compliance-enforcement tool to Article 15-A by creating a state-backed consultant function and a mandatory independent-monitor requirement for contractors found in violation. In practice, it would affect contractors doing business under MWBE requirements, the Empire State Development Corporation, and the officials responsible for reviewing and enforcing Article 15-A compliance. The amendment would be effective 90 days after enactment and would be tied to the lifespan of the underlying section of law.

Sentiment

No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no direct evidence of support or opposition from floor debate or committee discussion. Based on the bill text alone, the measure appears aimed at strengthening enforcement and improving compliance with MWBE contracting rules, suggesting a generally compliance-focused and remedial policy approach rather than a punitive one.

Contention

The main potential point of contention is the added burden and cost on contractors found in violation, who would be required to retain an independent monitor and submit to ongoing oversight. Supporters would likely emphasize improved accountability, better remediation, and stronger MWBE compliance, while critics may question administrative complexity, expense, and whether mandatory monitoring is the most effective enforcement mechanism. No specific stakeholder positions were included in the provided materials.