The chairs of the Senate and Assembly committee on small business have agreed to speak at the annual Small Business Day March 27 at the Empire State Plaza in Albany.

Sen. James Alesi (R-Monroe), chair of the Senate Commerce, Economic Development, and Small Business Committee, and Assemblyman Robert Sweeney (D-Suffolk), chair of the Assembly Small Business Committee, will speak during a panel discussion on small business issues. That session is scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m.

Other agenda highlights include:

• A seminar to give small business proprietors advice on selling goods and services to New York State. The seminar will be jointly offered by representatives of Empire State Development (ESD) and the state Office of General Services (OGS). This session will begin at 11 a.m.
  
  
• Gregory V. Serio, First Deputy Superintendent of the state Department of Insurance, discussing health insurance issues of interest to small business.
  
  
• A luncheon with a keynote address by a speaker to be announced, beginning at 12:30 p.m.
  
  
• Lobbying visits at the state Capitol and the Legislative Office Building, beginning at 2 p.m.

Small Business Day is cosponsored each March by The Business Council, the Chamber Alliance of New York State, and the National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB). Its purpose is to give small-business operators a chance to discuss priority issues with key lawmakers and staff.

Each year, some 400 representatives of small businesses and local chambers of commerce participate in the event. The agenda typically includes addresses by key legislative leaders, discussions on legislative issues of importance to the small business community, and opportunities for visiting small business proprietors to meet and lobby lawmakers and their key staff members.

In past years, these meetings have been critical to business' efforts to convince lawmakers to reduce taxes, reform workers' compensation and unemployment insurance, and make other critical improvements to New York's business climate.

There are still opportunities for sponsors to gain visibility for their company, products, and services at this important annual event. For information, call Ellen Muir at 1-800/358-1202, or visit www.bcnys.org/whatsnew/events/sbdsponinfo.htm.