Assemblyman Christopher S. Friend (R,C,I-Big Flats) today voted in favor of legislation that will provide employment protections and sick leave for those who are being quarantined for COVID-19. He additionally pressed his colleagues to take the next step and adopt the Small Business Emergency Recovery Act of 2020, which if adopted will provide a number of key relief initiatives to New York’s more than 2 million small businesses and will help the economy rebuild after the health crisis subsides.

“It is important in these times of difficulty and challenge for our state to come together. Thank you for all those who are carefully considering what they can do to keep each other safe. For those who have been quarantined, we in the Legislature joined together in a bipartisan fashion to provide job protection and coronavirus-related sick leave,” said Friend. “I further encourage my colleagues to take up the ‘Small Business Emergency Recovery Act of 2020,’ which I announced yesterday to ensure Main Street businesses will have the help needed in the coming year.”

Friend, who is the Ranking Minority Member of the Assembly Committee on Economic Development, Job Creation, Commerce and Industry, announced the Small Business Emergency Recovery Act of 2020, which proposes the following:

• Immediately direct the state’s settlement reserve fund of $890 million to small businesses;
• Create a 0% interest loan program dedicated to helping small businesses meet their payroll commitments;
• Repurpose available tax credits to help the needs of the state’s existing small businesses;
• Use all economic development discretionary funding for existing small businesses within New York State;
• Move tax deadlines for remittance, business tax and personal income tax ahead 180 days;
• Suspend all regulatory fees on small businesses for 180 days; and
• Suspend the plastic bag ban for grocery stores for 180 days.

Friend notes that with the federal and state government working together to help both workers and small businesses, the economy in New York will be more able to recover.