§ 100 — General powers of department

§ 100. General powers of department. The commissioner acting by and\nthrough the department of economic development shall have power and it\nshall be his duty:\n 1. to investigate, study and undertake ways and means of promoting and\nencouraging the prosperous development and protection of the legitimate\ninterest and welfare of New York business, industry and commerce, within\nand outside the state;\n 2. to serve as a clearing house for industrial problems of the state;\n 3. to promote and encourage the expansion and development of markets\nfor New York products;\n 4. to promote and encourage the location and development of new\nbusiness in the state as well as the maintenance and expansion of\nexisting business and for that purpose to cooperate with state and local\nagencies and individuals both within and outside the state;\n 5. to investigate and study conditions affecting New York business,\nindustry and commerce, and to collect and disseminate information, and\nengage in technical studies, scientific investigations and statistical\nresearch and educational activities necessary or useful for the proper\nexecution of the powers and duties of the department in promoting and\ndeveloping New York business, industry and commerce both within and\noutside the state;\n 6. to plan and develop an effective business information service both\nfor the direct assistance of industry of the state and for the\nencouragement of industries outside the state to use business facilities\nwithin the state;\n 7. to compile, collect and develop periodically, or otherwise make\navailable, scientific indices and other information relating to current\nbusiness conditions;\n 8. to encourage and develop commerce with other states and foreign\ncountries, and to devise ways and means of removing trade barriers\nhampering the free flow of commerce between this state and other states,\nincluding such barriers as preferences and similar price distorting\nmechanisms and other forms of discrimination used in the procurement of\ngoods and services by the public sector or influenced by the public\nsector;\n 9. to cooperate with interstate commissions engaged in formulating and\npromoting the adoption of interstate compacts and agreements helpful to\nbusiness, industry and commerce;\n 10. to conduct or encourage research designed to further new and more\nextensive uses of the natural and other resources of the state, and\ndesigned to develop new products and industrial processes;\n 11. to study trends and developments in the industries of the state\nand to analyze the reasons underlying such trends; to study costs and\nother factors affecting successful operation of businesses within the\nstate; and to make recommendations regarding circumstances promoting or\nhampering industrial development;\n 12. to compile periodically a census of business and industry in the\nstate with the cooperation of other agencies; and to analyze and publish\nthis information in such form as to be most valuable to the business and\nindustry of the state;\n 13. to make to the governor and to the legislature, from time to time,\nrecommendations for the study or improvement of any conditions, and for\nthe elimination of any restrictions and burdens imposed by law, or\notherwise existing, which adversely affect or retard the legitimate\ndevelopment and expansion of business, industry or commerce;\n 14. to publicize the material and economic advantages of the state\nwhich render it a desirable place for business and residence;\n 15. (a) to collect, compile and distribute information and literature\nas to the facilities, advantages and attractions of the state, the\nhistorical and scenic points and places of interest within the state and\nthe transportation and highway facilities of the state;\n (b) in the discharge of this power, the commissioner may enter into a\ncontract for publication of a state travel guide to promote tourism.\nSuch contract may provide for the sale of advertising by the contractor.\nA contract for publication of a state travel guide shall be awarded\nfollowing consideration of factors which shall include, but not be\nlimited to, the most favorable financial advantage for the state, the\nbest representation of the state of New York and its services, and the\ngreatest utility to the traveller. The commissioner shall promulgate\nregulations by the first day of November next succeeding the effective\ndate of this paragraph to guide the preparation of bids and the\ndeadlines for selection of a competent contractor and publication of the\nstate travel guide. The regulations shall, at a minimum, limit\nadvertising content to no more than thirty percent of the space\navailable and establish responsibility for preparation and placement of\nappropriate editorial content and an equitable listing without charge or\nother consideration of attractions and activities available to the\ntourist in New York state. Such regulations shall provide for approval\nof the commissioner at critical stages of state travel guide development\nand advertising standards and rates. Furthermore, such regulations shall\nprovide minimum financial terms and responsibilities of the state and\nthe contractor, the allocation of any revenues derived from the\nproduction of the travel guide and securities which shall be required of\nthe contractor.\n 16. to plan and conduct a program of information and publicity\ndesigned to attract tourists, visitors and other interested persons from\noutside the state to this state and also to encourage and coordinate the\nefforts of other public and private organizations or groups of citizens\nto publicize the facilities and attractions of the state for the same\npurposes;\n 16-a. to promote the growth of fruit growing, fruit processing, and\nwinery businesses in cooperation with the commissioner of agriculture\nand markets and the urban development corporation. The commissioner in\npromoting such businesses may also help to promote tourist programs\nspecified in subdivision sixteen of this section and encourage the\nretention of agricultural lands and preservation of open spaces.\n 16-b. to promote the expansion of animal and plant fiber production,\nfiber processing, and textile manufacturing from animal or plant fiber\ngrown or produced predominantly in New York state in cooperation with\nthe commissioner of agriculture and markets and the urban development\ncorporation. The commissioner in promoting such businesses may also help\nto promote tourist programs specified in subdivision sixteen of this\nsection and encourage the retention of agricultural lands and\npreservation of open spaces.\n 16-c. to promote local small businesses listed on the registry of\nhistoric businesses maintained pursuant to section 14.11 of the parks,\nrecreation and historic preservation law.\n 18. to encourage and cooperate with other public and private\norganizations or groups in publicizing the attractions and industrial\nadvantages of the state;\n * 18-a. to establish, in cooperation with the commissioner of\nagriculture and markets and the state liquor authority, procedures for\nproposing to the governor nominations for annual awards to be known as\n"New York state wine retailers awards". These non-monetary awards shall\nbe given in recognition of unusual efforts made by restaurants, and/or\nretailers licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for off-premises\nconsumption, to inform consumers as to the availability, diversity and\nexcellence of wines made in the state from grapes grown in the state,\nand to feature these wines. The governor shall, at his discretion, issue\nup to three awards annually.\n * NB Effective until February 10, 2026\n * 18-a. (a) to establish, in cooperation with the commissioner of\nagriculture and markets and the state liquor authority, procedures for\nproposing to the governor nominations for annual awards to be known as\n"New York state wine retailers awards". These non-monetary awards shall\nbe given in recognition of unusual efforts made by restaurants, and/or\nretailers licensed to sell alcoholic beverages for off-premises\nconsumption, to inform consumers as to the availability, diversity and\nexcellence of wines made in the state from grapes grown in the state,\nand to feature these wines. The governor shall, at their discretion,\nissue up to three awards annually.\n (b) to establish, in cooperation with the commissioner of agriculture\nand markets and the state liquor authority, procedures for proposing to\nthe governor nominations for annual awards to be known as "New York\nstate liquor retailers awards", "New York state beer retailers awards",\n"New York state cider retailer awards", and "New York state mead\nretailers awards". These non-monetary awards shall be given in\nrecognition of unusual efforts made by restaurants, and/or retailers\nlicensed to sell alcoholic beverages for off-premises consumption, to\ninform consumers as to the availability, diversity and excellence of\nliquors, beers, cider, and mead made in the state from products grown in\nthe state, and to feature these products. The governor shall, at their\ndiscretion, issue up to three awards in each category annually.\n * NB Effective February 10, 2026\n * 18-b. to promote, in cooperation with the New York wine and grape\nfoundation, state policies that will encourage the production and sale\nof New York labelled wines.\n * NB Effective until February 10, 2026\n * 18-b. (a) to promote, in cooperation with the New York wine and\ngrape foundation, state policies that will encourage the production and\nsale of New York labelled wines.\n (b) to promote, in cooperation with the department of agriculture and\nmarkets and the state liquor authority, state policies that will\nencourage the production and sale of New York labelled beers, ciders,\nliquors, and mead.\n * NB Effective February 10, 2026\n 18-c. to establish, in cooperation with the commissioner of\nagriculture and markets, procedures for proposing nominations, including\nprocedures to coordinate with such commissioner to determine which\ndepartment shall make nominations for awards in categories that may be\nsimilar to those listed in subdivision nine of section three hundred\nnine of the agriculture and markets law to the governor for four annual,\nnon-monetary awards to be known as: (a) New York State Direct Farm\nMarketing Award; (b) New York State Agri-Tourism Award; (c) New York\nState Specialty Food Product Award; and (d) New York Animal or Plant\nFiber and Textile Award. These awards shall be given in recognition of\nunusual efforts by farmers, food processors, food retailers, fiber\nprocessors, and textile manufacturers and retailers for the marketing of\nNew York state grown agricultural commodities, foods processed from or\nprimarily containing New York state agricultural commodities, or\ntextiles manufactured in New York state from animal or plant fiber grown\nor produced predominantly in New York state and for promoting New York\nstate farms that are also tourist destinations.\n 18-d. To establish, in consultation with the New York state tourism\nadvisory council, a New York hall of fame passport permitting admission\nto recognized halls of fame situated within the state.\n 18-e. to establish, in cooperation with the urban development\ncorporation and the commissioner of agriculture and markets and other\neconomic development agencies a program to promote the agriculture\nindustry and other related industries in the state in a manner\nconsistent with the provisions of article five-D of this chapter.\n 18-f. to establish procedures, guidelines or regulations related to\nimplementation of the "NY-USA Proud" employer of distinction award.\nThese non-monetary awards shall be given in recognition of companies\nthat show exceptional support for military personnel including military\nreservists and national guard members. To promote and market such award,\nthe commissioner may design an appropriate symbol that may be registered\nas a trademark in the office of the secretary of state. Any such\ntrademark shall be registered by the secretary of state without the\nexaction of any fee therefor. The commissioner may in his or her\ndiscretion register any such mark with the United States government and\nany other state or foreign country.\n 18-g. to establish procedures, guidelines or regulations related to\nimplementation of the "Patriot Support and Discount Program". This\nvoluntary program shall recognize those merchants, businesses or\ncompanies that provide exceptional support to their employees who serve\nin the military, including military reservists and national guard\nmembers, or agree to provide reduced price discounts for merchandise and\nservices for military personnel including military reservists and\nnational guard members. At the discretion of the commissioner,\nparticipating merchants, businesses or companies may become eligible for\ninclusion in the "NY-USA Proud" program.\n 18-h. to include in the "NY-USA Proud" program those companies who\nprovide accident prevention courses approved by the commissioner of\nmotor vehicles at a reduced rate to the servicemen and women who have\nreturned from a combat theater or combat zone of operations.\n 18-i. To aid the department of agriculture and markets and office of\ngeneral services in providing a training program once per year, in each\neconomic development region, established in article eleven of this\nchapter, to encourage and increase participation in the procurement\nprocess, pursuant to article eleven of the state finance law, by small\nbusinesses, as defined in section one hundred thirty-one of this\nchapter, including farms, selling food or food products grown, produced,\nharvested, or processed in New York state, or selling animal or plant\nfiber products grown, harvested and processed in New York state and\ntextile products manufactured in New York state from animal or plant\nfiber grown or produced predominantly in New York state, and assist such\nbusinesses in identifying such food, food products, or animal or plant\nfiber products and textile products which may help to meet state\nagencies' needs.\n 18-j. to assist the urban development corporation to establish a\nsearchable database pursuant to section fifty-eight of section one of\nchapter one hundred seventy-four of the laws of nineteen hundred\nsixty-eight, constituting the New York state urban development\ncorporation act.\n 18-k. to promote, in cooperation with associations representing New\nYork growers, fiber processors, and textile manufacturers, state\npolicies that will encourage the production and sale of textile products\nmanufactured in New York state from animal or plant fiber grown or\nproduced predominantly in New York state.\n 19. (a) to study changes in and to suggest policies for the economic\ndevelopment and conservation of the resources of the state and to\ndevelop an annual statewide economic development strategic plan. Such\nstrategic plan, shall include but shall not be limited to, a statewide\ninventory of all industry associations and clusters; a list of\nindustries that have a competitive advantage; and a list of industries\nthat demonstrate the potential for growth. The department shall work in\ncooperation with the New York State Foundation for Science, Technology\nand Innovation in creating the strategic plan. The annual statewide\neconomic development strategic plan shall be submitted to the temporary\npresident of the senate and the speaker of the assembly on January\nfirst, two thousand eight and every year thereafter.\n (b) to cause to be prepared program plans for the economic development\nfinancial assistance programs of the state, in cooperation with the\nagency or public benefit corporation or public authority, consistent\nwith the legislative intent and statutory authorization for such\nprograms. Program plans shall be derived from and shall be consistent\nwith the annual economic development strategic plan and, accordingly,\nmay be updated as necessary. Such plans shall be transmitted to the\nagency or public authority or public benefit corporation responsible for\nadministering the program and to the speaker of the assembly and the\ntemporary president of the senate within ninety days of the effective\ndate of any statute authorizing such program. With respect to existing\neconomic development financial assistance programs, the commissioner\nshall transmit program plans on or before July first, nineteen hundred\neighty-eight.\n Program plans shall describe the goals, objectives and priorities of\neach financial assistance program, shall guide the development of\noperating procedures and rules and regulations governing each financial\nassistance program, shall set forth the manner in which the financial\nassistance program shall be coordinated with other economic development\nprograms and shall set forth a description of the operating\nrelationships with relevant agencies and regional and local public and\nprivate organizations;\n 20. to cooperate with and assist other state departments, boards,\ncommissions, agencies, public benefit corporations and public\nauthorities in the preparation of policies for the economic development\nof the state and to assist in such entities' development of rules and\nregulations governing economic development financial assistance\nprograms, and policies for the use and conservation of its resources;\n 21. to inquire into and report to the governor when requested by the\ngovernor, with respect to any program of public state improvements and\nthe financing thereof; and to request and obtain information from the\nstate department of transportation and other state departments or\nagencies such information and data as may be needed properly to report\nthereon;\n 22. to advise and cooperate with municipal, county, regional and other\nlocal agencies within the state for the purpose of promoting\ncoordination between the state and the localities as to economic\ndevelopment;\n 23. to confer and cooperate with the authorities of the United States\nand neighboring states and of the counties and municipalities of such\nneighboring states, for the purpose of bringing about a coordination\nbetween the economic development of such neighboring states, counties\nand municipalities and the economic development of the state of New\nYork;\n 24. to adopt such measures as may best be calculated to promote public\ninterest in and understanding of the problems of economic development,\nand to that end may publish and distribute copies of any plan or any\nreport and may employ such other means of publicity and education as\nshall give full effect to the provisions of this chapter;\n 25. To act as the agent of the state and its political subdivisions\nfor the purpose of approving applicants for financial assistance from\nany federal agency for industrial development or redevelopment purposes,\nwhenever the terms of any act of congress heretofore or hereafter\nenacted for such purposes require the state or any political subdivision\nthereof to approve applicants for such assistance, and to take any\nfurther action which may be required under the terms of such act.\n 26. To provide all necessary staff services, accounting, clerical and\nsecretarial assistance, and office space and equipment requested by the\nNew York job development authority.\n 27. To act as the agent of the state to administer, carry out and\ncoordinate any federal law now or hereafter enacted by the congress to\npromote economic growth by supporting state and regional centers to\nplace the findings of science usefully in the hands of American\nenterprise and, for such purposes, to receive federal funds for\ntechnical services programs and enter into any necessary contracts or\ncompacts in connection therewith, to take any further action which may\nbe required under the terms of any such federal act, including but not\nlimited to the establishment and operation of state or regional\ntechnical information centers.\n 28. To provide all necessary staff services, accounting, clerical and\nsecretarial assistance and office space and equipment requested by the\nNew York state job incentive board.\n 29. to advise the governor, the legislature and other state agencies\nwith regard to research and development and the establishment of state\npolicies relating thereto, in connection with science oriented industry\nand applied research.\n 29-a. to advise the governor, the legislature and other state agencies\nwith regard to research and development and the establishment of state\npolicies relating thereto, in connection with the animal and plant fiber\nand fiber textile manufacturing industries and applied research.\n 30. to cooperate with all private persons and governmental entities\nconcerned with science oriented industry and applied research.\n 30-a. to cooperate with all private persons and governmental entities\nconcerned with the animal and plant fiber and fiber textile\nmanufacturing industries and applied research.\n 31. to sponsor, foster and support research and to sponsor or conduct\nstudies relating to science oriented industry and applied research.\n 31-a. to sponsor, foster and support research and to sponsor or\nconduct studies relating to the animal and plant fiber and fiber textile\nmanufacturing industries and applied research.\n 32. to review and evaluate the status and to encourage and promote the\ndevelopment of science oriented industry and applied research designed\nto further new and more extensive use of the resources and manpower of\nthe state.\n 32-a. to review and evaluate the status and to encourage and promote\nthe development of the animal and plant fiber and fiber textile\nmanufacturing industries and applied research designed to further new\nand more extensive use of the resources and manpower of the state.\n 33. the department shall adopt, amend or rescind, in accordance with\nthe state administrative procedure act, such rules, regulations and\norders as may be necessary or convenient to the performance of its\nfunctions, powers and duties under this chapter. Such rules and\nregulations shall be consistent with any program plans required by\nsubdivision nineteen of section one hundred of this chapter.\n 34. the department may enter into contracts with any person, firm,\ncorporation or governmental agency, and do all things necessary or\nconvenient to carry out the functions, powers and duties expressly set\nforth in this article.\n 35. to promote, publish, and disseminate the rules and regulations\npromulgated by the industrial commissioner pursuant to article\ntwenty-six of the labor law.\n 36. (a) The commissioner shall solicit research firms to evaluate the\npromotional effectiveness and economic impact of the department's\ntourism advertising campaigns. The commissioner shall cause said\nresearch firms to submit to the department and the legislative fiscal\ncommittees, at least six weeks prior to the conducting of their\nresearch, a research design indicating the techniques planned to measure\nsuch promotional effectiveness and economic impact; provided, however,\nthat no firm selected shall do both the promotional effectiveness and\neconomic impact studies nor shall have participated in the development\nof marketing the tourism campaign.\n (b) The commissioner shall submit all preliminary reports of such\nfirms to the legislative fiscal committees within two weeks of receipt\nof such reports; the final reports shall be submitted by the\ncommissioner to the legislative fiscal committees and the tourism\nadvisory council no later than December first of each year.\n 37. to review and evaluate the economic impact of the downhill ski\nindustry on the state's economy and to advise the governor, legislature,\nand other state agencies of the results of such review and evaluation.\n 37-a. The commissioner shall make an annual report to the governor and\nlegislature on or before the fifteenth day of May for the preceding\ncalendar year. It shall include a summary of all contacts received from\nbusiness entities by the department, including the department's district\noffices. The report shall set forth the types of contacts, the purposes\nof such contacts and include a summary of the results of all such\ncontacts by business entities. The report shall also indicate which\ncontacts were made by small business concerns as defined by section one\nhundred thirty-five-a of the state finance law. No provision of this\nsubdivision shall be deemed to require or authorize the disclosure of\nconfidential information or trade secrets.\n 37-b. The requirements to report contained in the following provisions\nof this chapter shall be satisfied, notwithstanding any inconsistent\nprovision appearing therein, by the commissioner who shall consolidate\ninto one combined annual report all of the information required to be\nsubmitted in separate reports by the following provisions of this\nchapter. This consolidated annual report of the commissioner shall be\nsubmitted to the governor and the legislature on or before October first\nof each year and shall replace the requirements for separate reports\ncontained in the following provisions of this chapter. In order to\nfulfill his or her responsibility under this subdivision, the\ncommissioner may require the submission to him or her a sufficient\nperiod of time in advance of October first of each year by any advisory\ncommittee or other body required to submit a report pursuant to the\nfollowing provisions of this chapter of all information which would\notherwise be required to be included in the report of such advisory\ncommittee or other body. The following provisions of this chapter\ncontaining requirements to submit recurring reports shall be subject to\nthe requirements of this subdivision:\n (a) Section one hundred ninety-five, on the operation and\naccomplishments of the industrial effectiveness program.\n (b) Paragraph (a) of subdivision seven of section two hundred two,\nregarding the current status of the skills development assistance\nprogram.\n (c) Subdivision two of section two hundred twelve of this chapter,\nsubmitting the results of the annual evaluation of the entrepreneurial\nassistance programs established under article nine of this chapter.\n (d) Subdivision two of section two hundred twenty-three, reporting the\nresults of the annual evaluation of the effectiveness of the export\ntrade development projects and other technical assistance programs\nauthorized under article ten.\n (e) Paragraph (a) of subdivision three of section two hundred\nforty-one, submitting the annual findings and recommendations of the\nadvisory council on economic information and research.\n (f) Subdivision eight of section two hundred fifty, regarding the\ncurrent status of the industrial infrastructure development program.\n 38. to contract for and to accept any gifts or grants or loans of\nfunds or property of financial or other aid in any form from the federal\ngovernment or any agency or instrumentality thereof, or from the state\nor any agency or instrumentality thereof, or from any other source, for\nany or all of the purposes specified in this chapter, with the terms and\nconditions thereof; and\n 39. (a) To assist the superintendent of financial services to solicit,\nevaluate, develop and provide information to banking corporations,\nprincipally engaged in doing business within the state, about various\nmethods used by banking corporations to provide financing for businesses\nengaged in the export of products and services to foreign countries.\n (b) The commissioner shall evaluate such information as may be\navailable to the department and help identify local regional banking\ncorporations currently serving the state exporters and shall assist the\nsuperintendent of financial services in determining the status of local\nand regional banking corporations in export financing so that in\ncooperation with the department of financial services, a program shall\nbe developed by which new banking corporations may be brought into the\nexport financing sector and potential and current state exporters may be\ngiven a wider choice of available financing sources for medium and small\nexport transactions.\n (c) The commissioner shall further inform the superintendent of\nfinancial services of any changes which the department projects may\noccur in the international business community about which the\ncommissioner may become aware so that the superintendent of financial\nservices may provide the most timely and accurate information to the\nstate banking community.\n (d) The commissioner shall promote, publish and disseminate\ninformation concerning the current export trade engaged in by\ncorporations doing business in the state, in particularly identifying\nthose areas, fields of endeavor and under-utilized industrial resources\nwhich could be exported in greater volume creating an increased need for\nfinancing by local and regional banks.\n 40. to assist the secretary of state to promote and make information\navailable regarding technical and financial assistance for waterfront\nrevitalization programs for economically distressed and severely\neconomically distressed municipalities on inland waterways, as provided\nby section nine hundred fifteen-a of the executive law.\n 40-a. to develop a plan to maximize the use of telecommuting to\nconserve energy otherwise used by the personnel of the department in\ncommuting to their assigned workplace. Within one year of the effective\ndate of this subdivision, the department shall submit a report to the\ngovernor and the legislature on the impact of such plan to include, but\nnot be limited to, energy conservation, air quality, workforce\nacceptance, office costs and potential cost savings.\n * 41. To investigate innovative approaches to private sector work and\nemployee compensation arrangements, such as flexible hours and job\nsharing, flexible compensation and benefit plans including employee\nassistance programs, employer-supported dependent care and family leave,\nwhich will benefit both employers and employees by improving\nproductivity and morale, lowering rates of absenteeism, tardiness and\nturnover, and enhancing a company's image.\n * NB There are 2 sb 41's\n * 41. to administer and operate a linked deposit program pursuant to\narticle fifteen of the state finance law.\n * NB There are 2 sb 41's\n 42. To promote the advantages of such flexible work arrangements and\nbenefit plans to business organizations and associations and to\nindividual firms and to assist such groups or firms with instituting\nsuch arrangements and benefit plans.\n 43. To work with the New York job development authority, the New York\nstate urban development corporation and other economic development\nagencies in promoting the inclusion of dependent care facilities as part\nof business expansion, industrial park, multi-tenant building or other\nprojects assisted by the authority, the corporation or other agencies.\n 44. to foster and promote, and to enlist the New York job development\nauthority, the New York urban development corporation and other public\nauthorities, public benefit corporations and state agencies to foster\nand promote, the re-use and rehabilitation of existing buildings or\nsites, or both, as part of business expansion, industrial park,\nmulti-tenant building or other projects assisted by a public authority,\na public benefit corporation and/or a state agency.\n 45. to license, maintain and lease where appropriate an official\nbrand, "I Love NY". Such brand shall be maintained, leased and applied\npursuant to section one hundred fifty-two of this chapter.\n 46. to prepare an annual summary for the small business community of\nthe key legislative, budgetary and regulatory changes impacting small\nbusinesses. Agencies shall cooperate with the department in developing\nthe annual summary. The annual summary shall be written in plain\nlanguage and shall provide specific contact information within the\nappropriate agency for inquiries regarding implementation and\ncompliance. The annual summary shall be posted on the department website\non or before September first of each year.\n 47. to, with funds appropriated for this purpose, post on the\ndepartment's website information related to New York state programs\nproviding assistance to small businesses or minority and women-owned\nbusiness enterprises. The commissioner shall determine which programs to\nfeature on the department's website, in consultation with the urban\ndevelopment corporation, which may include, but not be limited to,\nprograms offered by state and federal agencies or other entities, to\nprovide financial and technical assistance to minority and women-owned\nbusiness enterprises and small businesses, provided that the website\nshall provide information on any department or urban development\ncorporation programs relating to obtaining bonding or bridge loans.\nPosted information may include, but not necessarily be limited to, a\nprogram description, the type of assistance offered, application\ninformation, and contact information or website address for the entity\noffering such assistance. The department shall post the information\ndescribed herein so as to allow individuals to: (a) search for featured\nminority and women-owned business enterprises and small businesses\nassistance programs pursuant to article nine of this chapter; (b)\ncomplete applications for assistance in obtaining bonding, as well as\napplications to any other programs providing financial assistance that\nthe department deems feasible; and (c) obtain access to census data from\nthe most recent United States census.\n 48. to cooperate with and provide assistance to the commissioners of\nenvironmental conservation and transportation to implement the\nprovisions of title five of article forty-nine of the environmental\nconservation law.\n 49. to exercise all other powers and functions necessary or\nappropriate to carry out the duties and purposes set forth in this\nchapter.\n