Int. No. 1137
By Council Members Hanif, Cabán, Maloney, Thomas-Henry, P. Sanchez, J. Sanchez, Won, Marte, Epstein, Aldebol and Ossé
A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to workforce development for persons with disabilities and establishing a business incubator pilot program for such persons
Be it enacted by the Council as follows:
Section 1. Subdivision a of section 22-1302 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law number 11 for the year 2023, is amended to read as follows:
a. The [department] commissioner, in collaboration with the mayor’s office for people with disabilities[,] and the mayor’s office of talent and workforce development, shall [collaborate to] administer a workforce development program for persons with disabilities.
§ 2. Chapter 13 of title 22 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding a new section 22-1304 to read as follows:
§ 22-1304 Business incubator pilot program. a. Pilot program. The commissioner, in collaboration with the mayor’s office for people with disabilities and the mayor’s office of talent and workforce development, shall develop and implement a 3-year business incubator pilot program for individuals with disabilities. As part of such pilot program, the commissioner shall establish at least one incubator site in each borough to provide business training and education services and additional support to individuals with disabilities who own or are interested in owning a business. In determining the locations of such sites, the commissioner shall consider accessibility, proximity to public transportation, and any other factors the commissioner deems relevant. The incubator sites shall, at a minimum:
1. Provide pilot program participants with training, education, guidance, mentorship and resources about business operations, finances, and compliance;
2. Connect pilot program participants to sources of financial assistance for individuals with disabilities who own or are interested in owning a business; and
3. Connect pilot program participants with individuals with disabilities who are seeking employment, including individuals participating in the workforce development program required in section 22-1302.
b. Annual report. No later than one year after the commencement of the pilot program, and annually thereafter for the duration of the pilot program, the commissioner shall submit to the speaker of the council and the mayor, and post on the department’s website, a report regarding the business incubator pilot program required in subdivision a of this section. Such report shall include, at a minimum:
1. The locations of pilot program business incubator sites;
2. Demographic information of pilot program participants, including age, gender, country of origin, primary or preferred language, English proficiency, and highest level of education completed;
3. The number of individuals served by each pilot program business incubator site;
4. The industries or sectors of the businesses that pilot program participants owned or were interested in owning;
5. A summary of the training, education, guidance, mentorship and resources offered to pilot program participants, as well as the department’s partnerships with businesses, non-profit organizations and city agencies to provide such services;
6. An analysis of the pilot program’s overall strengths and limitations;
7. Recommendations about improving the pilot program, including additional services that the pilot program could provide to participants; and
8. Recommendations about how to increase program participation.
c. Public awareness. The commissioner shall carry out a public awareness campaign to make individuals with disabilities aware of the pilot program required by this section.
§ 3. This local law takes effect immediately.
NY
LS #25575
10/14/2026 3:35 PM