§ 210 — Definitions

§ 210. Definitions. As used in this article the following terms,\nunless the context indicates otherwise, shall have the following\nmeanings:\n 1. "Entrepreneurship assistance centers" shall mean the business\ndevelopment centers which provide assistance to primarily minority group\nmembers, women, individuals with a disability, dislocated workers and\nveterans as established by the department pursuant to section two\nhundred eleven of this article.\n 2. "Disability" shall mean, with respect to an individual:\n (a) a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or\nmore of the major life activities of such individual;\n (b) a record of such an impairment; or\n (c) being regarded as having an impairment.\n 3. "Minority business enterprise" shall mean any business enterprise\nwhich is at least fifty-one per centum owned by, or in the case of a\npublicly owned business at least fifty-one per centum of the stock of\nwhich is owned by, citizens or permanent resident noncitizens who are\nBlack, Hispanic, Asian or American Indian, Pacific Islander or Alaskan\nNative where such ownership interest is real, substantial and continuing\nand where such persons have the authority to independently control the\nday-to-day business decisions of the entity.\n 4. "Minority group member" shall mean a United States citizen or\npermanent resident noncitizen who is and can demonstrate membership in\none of the following groups:\n (a) Black persons having origins in any of the Black African racial\ngroups not of Hispanic origin;\n (b) Hispanic persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Dominican, Cuban,\nCentral or South American descent of either Indian or Hispanic origin,\nregardless of race;\n (c) Asian and Pacific Islander persons having origins in the Far East,\nSoutheast Asia, the Indian sub-continent or the Pacific Islands; or\n (d) American Indian or Alaskan Native persons having origins in any of\nthe original peoples of North America.\n 5. "Women-owned business enterprise" shall mean any business\nenterprise which is at least fifty-one per centum owned by, or in the\ncase of a publicly owned business at least fifty-one per centum of the\nstock of which is owned by, citizens or permanent resident noncitizens\nwho are women where such ownership interest is real, substantial and\ncontinuing and where such persons have the authority to independently\ncontrol the day-to-day business decisions of the entity.\n * 6. "Veteran" shall mean a person who served in the United States\narmy, navy, air force, space force, marines, coast guard, and/or\nreserves thereof, and/or in the army national guard, air national guard,\nNew York guard and/or New York naval militia and who (a) has received an\nhonorable or general discharge from such service, or (b) has a\nqualifying condition, as defined in section one of the veterans'\nservices law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or\ndishonorable from such service, or (c) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as\ndefined in section one of the veterans' services law, and has received a\ndischarge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service.\n * NB Effective until April 1, 2026\n * 6. "Veteran" shall mean a person who served in the United States\narmy, navy, air force, space force, marines, coast guard, the\ncommissioned corps of the national oceanic and atmospheric\nadministration, the commissioned corps of the public health service,\nand/or reserves thereof, and/or in the army national guard, air national\nguard, New York guard and/or the New York naval militia and who (a) has\nreceived an honorable or general discharge from such service, or (b) has\na qualifying condition, as defined in section one of the veterans'\nservices law, and has received a discharge other than bad conduct or\ndishonorable from such service, or (c) is a discharged LGBT veteran, as\ndefined in section one of the veterans' services law, and has received a\ndischarge other than bad conduct or dishonorable from such service.\n * NB Effective April 1, 2026\n