| 1 | 1 | | 1.1 A bill for an act |
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| 2 | 2 | | 1.2 relating to economic development; creating a pilot program for provision of |
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| 3 | 3 | | 1.3 information technology assistance for small businesses. |
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| 4 | 4 | | 1.4BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA: |
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| 5 | 5 | | 1.5 Section 1. SMALL BUSINESS INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ASSISTANCE |
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| 6 | 6 | | 1.6PILOT PROGRAM. |
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| 7 | 7 | | 1.7 Subdivision 1.Pilot program established.A pilot program for small business |
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| 8 | 8 | | 1.8information technology (IT) assistance is established to provide computer technical support |
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| 9 | 9 | | 1.9and technology assistance to Minnesota small businesses. |
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| 10 | 10 | | 1.10 Subd. 2.Definitions.(a) For the purposes of this section, the following terms have the |
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| 11 | 11 | | 1.11meanings given. |
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| 12 | 12 | | 1.12 (b) "Information technology assistance" means help with the use of computer software, |
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| 13 | 13 | | 1.13hardware, networks, telecommunications, websites, and the Internet. |
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| 14 | 14 | | 1.14 (c) "Small business" has the meaning given in section 3 of the Small Business Act, |
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| 15 | 15 | | 1.15United States Code, title 15, section 632. |
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| 16 | 16 | | 1.16 Subd. 3.Pilot program.The pilot program established under this section must provide |
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| 17 | 17 | | 1.17IT assistance services to qualifying small businesses. The services must supplement existing |
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| 18 | 18 | | 1.18small business assistance services provided by the small business assistance office. The IT |
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| 19 | 19 | | 1.19assistance services must: |
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| 20 | 20 | | 1.20 (1) provide Minnesota small businesses with free information technology assistance; |
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| 21 | 21 | | 1Section 1. |
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| 22 | 22 | | 25-01320 as introduced01/03/25 REVISOR SS/NS |
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| 23 | 23 | | SENATE |
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| 24 | 24 | | STATE OF MINNESOTA |
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| 25 | 25 | | S.F. No. 661NINETY-FOURTH SESSION |
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| 26 | 26 | | (SENATE AUTHORS: GUSTAFSON and Housley) |
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| 27 | 27 | | OFFICIAL STATUSD-PGDATE |
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| 28 | 28 | | Introduction and first reading01/27/2025 |
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| 29 | 29 | | Referred to Jobs and Economic Development 2.1 (2) establish a dedicated hotline for the service and publish the hotline telephone number |
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| 30 | 30 | | 2.2on the small business assistance office website; |
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| 31 | 31 | | 2.3 (3) be supported by individuals with expertise in providing computer technical support; |
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| 32 | 32 | | 2.4and |
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| 33 | 33 | | 2.5 (4) be staffed at a minimum from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday. |
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| 34 | 34 | | 2.6 Subd. 4.Reporting.(a) By January 31, 2027, the commissioner of employment and |
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| 35 | 35 | | 2.7economic development must submit a report to the legislative committees with jurisdiction |
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| 36 | 36 | | 2.8over economic development on the pilot program. |
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| 37 | 37 | | 2.9 (b) The report must include the following information: |
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| 38 | 38 | | 2.10 (1) the number and size of the small businesses requesting IT assistance; |
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| 39 | 39 | | 2.11 (2) the number of hours of IT assistance services provided; and |
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| 40 | 40 | | 2.12 (3) demographic and geographic details of the small businesses served. |
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| 41 | 41 | | 2.13 Subd. 5.Appropriation.$....... in fiscal year 2026 is appropriated from the general fund |
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| 42 | 42 | | 2.14to the commissioner of employment and economic development for the department's small |
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| 43 | 43 | | 2.15business assistance office to provide the services under this section. This is a onetime |
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| 44 | 44 | | 2.16appropriation. |
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| 45 | 45 | | 2Section 1. |
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| 46 | 46 | | 25-01320 as introduced01/03/25 REVISOR SS/NS |
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