By Solis of Cameron H.B. No. 3503
76R7431 WP-D
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the small business assistance division of the Texas
1-3 Department of Economic Development.
1-4 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-5 SECTION 1. Sections 481.0068(b) and (e), Government Code,
1-6 are amended to read as follows:
1-7 (b) The Office of Small Business Assistance shall:
1-8 (1) examine the role of small and historically
1-9 underutilized businesses in the state's economy and the
1-10 contribution of small and historically underutilized businesses in
1-11 generating economic activity, expanding employment opportunities,
1-12 promoting exports, stimulating innovation and entrepreneurship, and
1-13 bringing new and untested products and services to the marketplace;
1-14 (2) serve as the principal focal point in the state
1-15 for receiving comments and suggestions concerning state government
1-16 policies and activities that affect small and historically
1-17 underutilized businesses [by:]
1-18 [(A) providing to the legislature information on
1-19 the effects of proposed policies or actions;]
1-20 [(B) assisting state agencies in determining the
1-21 impact proposed rules have on small businesses as required by
1-22 Section 2006.002; and]
1-23 [(C) assisting the agencies in reducing the
1-24 adverse effect that rules have on small businesses, if appropriate;]
2-1 [(3) evaluate the effectiveness of efforts of state
2-2 agencies and other entities to assist small and historically
2-3 underutilized businesses and make appropriate recommendations to
2-4 the legislature and state agencies to assist the development and
2-5 strengthening of small and historically underutilized businesses;]
2-6 [(4) identify regulations that inhibit small and
2-7 historically underutilized business development and to the extent
2-8 possible identify conflicting state policy goals];
2-9 (3) [(5)] determine the availability of financial and
2-10 other resources to small and historically underutilized businesses
2-11 and recommend methods for:
2-12 (A) increasing the availability of equity
2-13 capital and other forms of financial assistance to small and
2-14 historically underutilized businesses;
2-15 (B) generating markets for the goods and
2-16 services of small and historically underutilized businesses;
2-17 (C) providing more effective education,
2-18 training, and management and technical assistance to small and
2-19 historically underutilized businesses; and
2-20 (D) providing assistance to small and
2-21 historically underutilized businesses in complying with federal,
2-22 state, and local laws;
2-23 (4) [(6) identify the reasons for small and
2-24 historically underutilized business successes and failures,
2-25 ascertain the related factors that are particularly important in
2-26 this state, and recommend actions for increasing the success rate
2-27 of small and historically underutilized businesses;]
3-1 [(7) serve as a focal point for receiving comments and
3-2 suggestions concerning state government policies and activities
3-3 that affect small and historically underutilized businesses;]
3-4 [(8) develop and suggest proposals for changes in
3-5 state policies and activities that adversely affect small and
3-6 historically underutilized businesses;]
3-7 [(9) provide to state agencies information on the
3-8 effects of proposed policies or actions that affect small and
3-9 historically underutilized businesses;]
3-10 [(10)] provide information and assistance relating to
3-11 establishing, operating, or expanding small and historically
3-12 underutilized businesses;
3-13 (5) [(11) assist small and historically underutilized
3-14 businesses by:]
3-15 [(A) identifying:]
3-16 [(i) sources of financial assistance for
3-17 those businesses; and]
3-18 [(ii) financial barriers to those
3-19 businesses;]
3-20 [(B) working with relevant organizations to
3-21 identify financing programs that aid small businesses in overcoming
3-22 financial barriers;]
3-23 [(C) matching those businesses with sources of
3-24 financial assistance and credit enhancement; and]
3-25 [(D) assisting those businesses with the
3-26 preparation of applications for government loans, loan guarantees,
3-27 and credit enhancement programs;]
4-1 [(12) sponsor meetings, to the extent practicable in
4-2 cooperation with public and private educational institutions, to
4-3 provide training and disseminate information beneficial to small
4-4 and historically underutilized businesses;]
4-5 [(13) assist small and historically underutilized
4-6 businesses in their dealings with federal, state, and local
4-7 governmental agencies and provide information regarding
4-8 governmental requirements affecting small and historically
4-9 underutilized businesses;]
4-10 [(14) perform research, studies, and analyses of
4-11 matters affecting the interests of small and historically
4-12 underutilized businesses;]
4-13 [(15) use available resources within the state, such
4-14 as small business development centers, educational institutions,
4-15 and nonprofit associations, to coordinate the provision of
4-16 management and technical assistance to small and historically
4-17 underutilized businesses in a systematic manner;]
4-18 [(16) publish newsletters, brochures, and other
4-19 documents containing information useful to small and historically
4-20 underutilized businesses;]
4-21 [(17)] identify successful small and historically
4-22 underutilized business assistance programs provided by other states
4-23 and determine the feasibility of adapting those programs for
4-24 implementation in this state;
4-25 (6) [(18)] establish an outreach program to make the
4-26 existence of the office and the department's programs known to
4-27 small and historically underutilized businesses and potential
5-1 clients throughout the state;
5-2 (7) [(19) enlist the cooperation and assistance of
5-3 public and private agencies, businesses, and other organizations in
5-4 disseminating information about the programs and services provided
5-5 by the state that benefit small businesses and how small businesses
5-6 can participate in or make use of those programs and services;]
5-7 [(20)] defer to the small business stationary source
5-8 assistance program as defined by Section 382.0365, Health and
5-9 Safety Code, on advocacy and technical assistance related to
5-10 environmental programs that regulate small businesses; and
5-11 (8) [(21)] perform any other functions necessary to
5-12 carry out the purposes of this section.
5-13 (e) Not later than October 15 [September 1] of each
5-14 even-numbered year, the department shall submit to the governor and
5-15 the legislature a report containing specific information regarding
5-16 each of the functions performed by the Office of Small Business
5-17 Assistance, including recommendations regarding issues that affect
5-18 small businesses of the state.
5-19 SECTION 2. The importance of this legislation and the
5-20 crowded condition of the calendars in both houses create an
5-21 emergency and an imperative public necessity that the
5-22 constitutional rule requiring bills to be read on three several
5-23 days in each house be suspended, and this rule is hereby suspended,
5-24 and that this Act take effect and be in force from and after its
5-25 passage, and it is so enacted.