New York City Mayor Eric Adams announced major steps to reduce burdens on and cut red tape for the NYC’s small businesses with reforms to 118 city regulations. The 118 reforms stem from Executive Order 2 (EO2) “Small Business Forward” that requires city agencies to review existing business regulations and ensure local businesses face fewer needless fines and penalties without jeopardizing public health or safety. The reforms include the repeal of 30 provisions, the reduction of civil penalties associated with 49 provisions, and amendments to 39 provisions to include a first-time warning or cure period or to extend an existing cure period.
Examples of the reforms being announced, and their corresponding agencies include:
- Introducing a cure period when a business fails to prominently and conspicuously display its price list – New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP);
- Introducing a universal 60-day cure period across all Class 2 “Major Violations” and Class 3 “Lesser Violations” related to small businesses – New York City Department of Buildings (DOB);
- Removing the penalty for failure to maintain required bins for disposal of compostable straws in restaurants – New York City Department of Sanitation (DSNY);
- Increasing time for restaurants to address maintenance and replacement issues with grease interceptors – New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP);
- Reducing maximum fines for violations of time/temperature control for preparing foods safely – New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH);
- Eliminating violations for picture tubes (older TVs with cathode ray tubes) sold or offered for sale without proper label – DCWP; and
- Eliminating the violation for a failure to conspicuously post electrical work permit while work is in progress – DOB, among others.
78 reforms will require amendment to the Rules of New York City, 25 will require amendment to the NYC Administrative Code, 13 are internal policy changes, and 5 amendment to New York State Law.
The full report can be found here. The projected timeline for implementing the reforms is December 31, 2022.
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