Senate Resolution No. 695 BY: Senator ROLISON MEMORIALIZING Governor Kathy Hochul to declare April 30-May 6, 2023, as Small Business Week in the State of New York WHEREAS, In New York, the dedication and entrepreneurial spirit of our diverse small businesses are vital to the prosperity and vibrancy of every community across this great State and Nation; and WHEREAS, According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 632,000 enterprises qualify as small businesses in New York State prior to the pandemic, comprising 96.05% of the businesses within the State; and WHEREAS, The U.S. Department of Commerce's International Trade Administration reported that 36,901 companies exported goods from New York State prior to the pandemic, and of these, 34,506 or 93.5% were small and medium-sized firms, which generated 58.3% of New York's total known export value; and WHEREAS, New York small businesses employed 4.1 million people, or 49.8 % of New York Employees, prior to the pandemic, which includes 69,042 new jobs since 2018; and WHEREAS, Small business owners have shown great ingenuity in overcoming the hardships of the last two years in order to serve the needs of our communities; and WHEREAS, New York State actively supports Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprises (MWBE) by supporting a State procurement contracting goal of 30% from MWBE firms; and WHEREAS, The Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business Act of 2014 promotes and encourages participation of service-disabled veteran-owned businesses (SDVOBs) in New York State's public procurement process; and WHEREAS, The innovation, diversity, competitive strength, job creation, and quality of life that small businesses bring to our economy are vital elements of our State's long-term economic health; and WHEREAS, Small business owners possess the dedication and entrepreneurial spirit to develop and market new technologies, thereby bringing more capital into the business market and further strengthening our economy; and WHEREAS, Small business owners demonstrate extraordinary resiliency in the face of larger forces beyond their control, such as climate change, changing economic times and pandemics; and WHEREAS, Small businesses in New York State exert a strong positive influence on the political, economic, and social development of the State, and the future welfare of the State depends on the continued development of small businesses; and WHEREAS, The entrepreneurial spirit of New York residents has led to the creation and growth of emerging agricultural industries in New York such as craft beverages, artisanal foods, and the production of hemp and hops; and WHEREAS, The members of this Legislative Body wish to proclaim their recognition of small businesses as a crucial element in the economy of New York State; now, therefore, be it RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to memorialize Governor Kathy Hochul to declare April 30-May 6, 2023, as Small Business Week in the State of New York; and be it further RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be transmitted to The Honorable Kathy Hochul, Governor of the State of New York.