§ 421. Statement of legislative findings and declaration. It is hereby found and declared that New York state needs, as a matter of public policy, to create competitive financial incentives to retain strategic businesses and jobs that are at risk of leaving the state due to the impact on its business operations of an event leading to an emergency declaration by the governor. The empire state jobs retention program is created to support the retention of the state's most strategic businesses in the event of an emergency.

This legislation creates a jobs tax credit for each job of a strategic business directly impacted by an emergency and protects state taxpayers' dollars by ensuring that New York provides tax benefits only to businesses that can demonstrate substantial physical damage and economic harm resulting from an event leading to an emergency declaration by the governor.