Albany, NY – Assemblymember Rodneyse Bichotte (D-Brooklyn), Chair of the Subcommittee on Oversight of Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs), announced that legislation she sponsored to enhance opportunities for emerging businesses passed the Assembly (A.8044-A). Senator James Sanders Jr. (D-Queens) is sponsoring the legislation in the Senate (S5924A).

"By encouraging minorities and women to grow their businesses, we are promoting job opportunities in our communities and building a sustainable economic future," said Assemblymember Bichotte. "MWBEs have a lot to offer, and increasing their participation in government contracts is one way we can help these job-creating small businesses prosper."

Assemblymember Bichotte's bill increases the city's MWBE discretionary spending of the small-purchase threshold from $100,000 to $200,000, allows MWBE status to be a factor in "best value" awards, establishes capacity building programs for the benefit of state or local MWBE-certified firms doing business in New York City and permits pre-qualified lists for purchase contracts in addition to public works contracts.

Assemblymember Bichotte noted the next step is to expand the program statewide and ensure businesses' past labor practices include prevailing wage standards when awarding contracts.

Chairwoman Bichotte also introduced MWBE legislation to:

• authorize state agencies to use discretionary purchasing authority for procurements from service-disabled veteran-owned businesses (A.7580);
• waive deposits on certain plans and specifications for contracts for public works (A.7582); and
• allow businesses to use funds received from the MWBE development and lending program for the purpose of refinancing existing debt (A.7719).

"This is a huge step forward for New York City's MWBEs, but just the beginning of a move to support MWBEs across the state," said Assemblymember Bichotte.

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