BILL NUMBER: S1865A
SPONSOR: MARTINEZ
 
TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the economic development law and the tax law in relation
to enacting the lift our communities advertise locally (LOCAL) program;
and providing for the repeal of such provisions upon expiration thereof
 
PURPOSE:
The purpose of this bill is to create a three year tax credit program to
stimulate the struggling local newspaper and broadcast media advertising
market. Eligible small businesses will be able to claim a credit equal-
ing eighty percent of their local media advertising expenditures up to
$5,000. The total amount of credits available annually is $10 million
dollars; sixty percent of credits must be awarded to women owned, minor-
ity owned, and disabled veteran owned businesses.
 
SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS:
Section 1. Provides the short title of this act.
Section 2. Amends the economic development law by adding a new Article
28 to establish the Lift Our Communities Advertise Locally Program and
its criteria.
Section 3. Amends the tax law by adding a new section 50 to establish
the Local Newspaper and Broadcast Media Business Advertising Tax Credit
and its requirements.
Section 4. Amends section 210-B of the tax law by adding a new subdi-
vision 61 which details the allowance and application of the Local News-
paper and Broadcast Media Business Advertising Tax Credit.
Section 5. Amends section 606 of the tax law by adding subsection
(qqq) to allow eligible self -employed taxpayers to claim the Local
Newspaper and Broadcast Media Business tax credit.
Section 6. Subparagraph (B) of paragraph 1 of subsection (i) of
section 606 of the tax law is amended by adding a new clause (Ili) to
create the local newspaper and broadcast media business advertising tax
credit.
Section 7. Establishes the enacting clause.
 
JUSTIFICATION:
Small local newspapers and media broadcasters play a vital role in keep-
ing communities informed by providing their readers with the relevant
news affecting their daily lives. However, an average of two U.S. local
newspapers have closed every week for over the past decade; in New York
State the decline has been pronounced with 190 newspapersclosing since
20041. This bill provides struggling local news outlets with a way to
increase revenue by ince ntivising small businesses to buy ads from
them; with the ultimate goal being to help our local news outlets keep
their doors open.
The steep decline in local news outlets has resulted in over half of all
U.S counties now having limited access to reliable local news 2. Local
news outlets play an integral part in preserving our communities' iden-
tities; they highlight the achievements of our neighbors, the success of
our school teams, and the efforts of public officials. Currently ninety
percent of the U.S. media market is comprised of just six giant conglom-
erates, all controlled by billionaires 3. Without the legislators' help
local news outlets' share of the media market will continue to dwindle.
 
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
To be determined.
 
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect January 1, 2026.
1 https://localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/projects
/state-of-local-news/2024/report/
2 https://localnewsinitiative.northwestern.edu/projects /state-of-lo-
cal-news/ 2024/report/
3 https://www.fool.conVinvesting/stock-market /market-
sectors/communication /media-stocks/big-6/

Statutes affected:
S1865: 210-B tax law, 606 tax law, 606(i) tax law
S1865A: 210-B tax law, 606 tax law, 606(i) tax law