Assembly Member Aravella Simotas (Photo: Courtesy of AM Simotas)
Dec. 11, 2019 By Michael Dorgan
A bill to reform the way the state enforces new regulatory measures was signed into law by Governor Andrew Cuomo on Friday.
The new law requires state agencies to first assess the impact new regulations will have on small businesses as well as help them better adjust to the changes.
Sponsored by Astoria Assemblywoman Aravella Simotas, the law aims to improve the lack of regulatory guidance and increase awareness of rule changes.
“It is my hope that with this new law, small businesses can breathe a sigh of relief because they will be given a fair chance to comply with new regulations,” Simotas said.
“These efforts are an important step in the right direction to provide the necessary support and guidance our small businesses need.”
Simotas introduced the legislation in response to frequent concerns she heard from restaurant owners struggling to avoid overly aggressive enforcement of new regulations which are often implemented without proper guidance, often resulting in numerous fines.
“As a daughter of small business owners who helped my parents operate their delicatessen, I remember the difficulty of keeping up with, and interpreting countless new and existing regulations set by state agencies without much guidance,” Simotas said.
“It angers me to hear that many local businesses encountered the same problem and that some of my favorite local restaurants have been trampled with fines for not understanding new regulatory measures. We need to do right by our small businesses and provide them with the tools they need to succeed.”
State agencies will now have to describe how they intend to communicate the new requirements and give due consideration to the practical, legal and fiscal constraints that may affect the ability of these entities to implement new regulatory requirements.
The new law is set to take effect in 120 days.
