87R19617 MWC-F
By: Ordaz Perez, Price, Paddie H.B. No. 4067
Substitute the following for H.B. No. 4067:
By: Button C.S.H.B. No. 4067
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the establishment of the small business assistance
disaster recovery program.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Subchapter A, Chapter 481, Government Code, is
amended by adding Section 481.00682 to read as follows:
Sec. 481.00682. OFFICE OF SMALL BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
DISASTER RECOVERY PROGRAM. (a) In this section:
(1) "Declared disaster" means:
(A) a disaster declared by the president of the
United States; or
(B) a state of disaster declared by the governor
under Chapter 418.
(2) "Program" means the small business assistance
disaster recovery program established under this section.
(b) Subject to Subsection (c), the Office of Small Business
Assistance shall establish and administer the small business
assistance disaster recovery program to provide small businesses in
this state that have been economically affected by a declared
disaster with resources and assistance. Resources and assistance
provided to small businesses under the program may include:
(1) information regarding or assistance securing
state and federal funding;
(2) technical or financial opportunities available to
the small business;
(3) information regarding regulations applicable to
the small business; and
(4) general information and resources related to:
(A) taxes and accounting;
(B) loan refinancing;
(C) basic bankruptcy procedures;
(D) restructuring; and
(E) debt protection and forgiveness options.
(c) The Office of Small Business Assistance may not provide
a small business with direct legal or accounting advice under the
program but may provide:
(1) general resources and information regarding legal
or accounting issues faced by small businesses; and
(2) referrals to lawyers, accountants, or entities
that provide legal or accounting advice to small businesses.
(d) To the extent money is available, the Office of Small
Business Assistance shall employ not fewer than two employees to
administer the program. The Office of Small Business Assistance
may only hire a person to administer the program who has been
approved by the small business advocate designated under Section
481.0067.
(e) Information collected from a small business under the
program is confidential and is not subject to disclosure under
Chapter 552.
SECTION 2. The Texas Economic Development and Tourism
Office is required to implement Section 481.00682, Government Code,
as added by this Act, only if the legislature appropriates money
specifically for that purpose. If the legislature does not
appropriate money specifically for that purpose, the Texas Economic
Development and Tourism Office may, but is not required to,
implement a provision of this Act using other appropriations that
are available for that purpose.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.