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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to the creation of the Office of Small Business Assistance |
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Advisory Task Force. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 481, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 481.00681 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 481.00681. OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE |
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ADVISORY TASK FORCE. (a) In this section: |
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(1) "Small business" means a business that employs at |
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least 25 but not more than 250 individuals. |
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(2) "Task force" means the Office of Small Business |
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Assistance Advisory Task Force. |
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(b) The Office of Small Business Assistance shall establish |
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the task force. |
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(c) The task force is composed of seven members appointed as |
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follows: |
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(1) two members appointed by the governor; |
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(2) three members appointed by the speaker of the |
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house of representatives; and |
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(3) two members appointed by the lieutenant governor. |
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(d) A task force member serves a two-year term. A task force |
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member may be reappointed for additional terms. |
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(e) Task force members serve without compensation but are |
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entitled to reimbursement for reasonable and necessary expenses |
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incurred in the discharge of their duties. |
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(f) The task force shall meet as often as necessary but |
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shall meet at least once a year. |
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(g) The task force shall: |
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(1) advise and assist the Office of Small Business |
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Assistance with its duties under Section 481.0068(b) to the extent |
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that they relate to small businesses; |
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(2) advise and assist the governor, the lieutenant |
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governor, and the speaker of the house of representatives with |
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issues that relate to small businesses; and |
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(3) provide information in plain language to the |
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public on issues related to small businesses, including: |
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(A) environmental permitting and compliance; |
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(B) local regulations; |
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(C) construction permitting; |
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(D) the duties of the comptroller to the extent |
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that the duties relate to small businesses; and |
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(E) the formation of business entities. |
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(h) Not later than January 1 of each odd-numbered year, the |
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task force shall submit to the legislature a report that: |
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(1) describes issues related to small businesses; and |
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(2) proposes legislation to assist small businesses. |
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SECTION 2. As soon as practicable after the effective date |
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of this Act, the governor, the lieutenant governor, and the speaker |
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of the house of representatives shall appoint the members of the |
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Office of Small Business Assistance Advisory Task Force as required |
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by Section 481.00681, Government Code, as added by this Act. |
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SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives |
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a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as |
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provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this |
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Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this |
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Act takes effect September 1, 2013. |