Texas 2021 - 87th Regular

Texas Senate Bill SB1976 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	By: Miles S.B. No. 1976
2	2
3	3
4	4	A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
5	5	AN ACT
6	6	relating to the dissemination of information about historically
7	7	underutilized businesses and the expansion of the small business
8	8	development center network.
9	9	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
10	10	SECTION 1. Section 61.8235, Education Code, is amended by
11	11	adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows:
12	12	(b-1) In developing the career and technical education
13	13	program of study curricula under Subsection (b), the board shall
14	14	ensure that the curricula include information about historically
15	15	underutilized businesses and the certification procedure for and
16	16	the assistance available to historically underutilized businesses
17	17	under Chapter 2161, Government Code.
18	18	SECTION 2. Section 481.0068(b), Government Code, is amended
19	19	to read as follows:
20	20	(b) The Office of Small Business Assistance shall:
21	21	(1) examine the role of small and historically
22	22	underutilized businesses in the state's economy and the
23	23	contribution of small and historically underutilized businesses in
24	24	generating economic activity, expanding employment opportunities,
25	25	promoting exports, stimulating innovation and entrepreneurship,
26	26	and bringing new and untested products and services to the
27	27	marketplace;
28	28	(2) serve as the principal focal point in the state for
29	29	small and historically underutilized businesses by:
30	30	(A) providing to the legislature information on
31	31	the effects of proposed policies or actions;
32	32	(B) assisting state agencies in determining the
33	33	impact proposed rules have on small businesses as required by
34	34	Section 2006.002; and
35	35	(C) assisting the agencies in reducing the
36	36	adverse effect that rules have on small businesses, if appropriate;
37	37	(3) evaluate the effectiveness of efforts of state
38	38	agencies and other entities to assist small and historically
39	39	underutilized businesses and make appropriate recommendations to
40	40	the legislature and state agencies to assist the development and
41	41	strengthening of small and historically underutilized businesses;
42	42	(4) identify regulations that inhibit small and
43	43	historically underutilized business development and to the extent
44	44	possible identify conflicting state policy goals;
45	45	(5) determine the availability of financial and other
46	46	resources to small and historically underutilized businesses and
47	47	recommend methods for:
48	48	(A) increasing the availability of equity
49	49	capital and other forms of financial assistance to small and
50	50	historically underutilized businesses;
51	51	(B) generating markets for the goods and services
52	52	of small and historically underutilized businesses;
53	53	(C) providing more effective education,
54	54	training, and management and technical assistance to small and
55	55	historically underutilized businesses; and
56	56	(D) providing assistance to small and
57	57	historically underutilized businesses in complying with federal,
58	58	state, and local laws;
59	59	(6) identify the reasons for small and historically
60	60	underutilized business successes and failures, ascertain the
61	61	related factors that are particularly important in this state, and
62	62	recommend actions for increasing the success rate of small and
63	63	historically underutilized businesses;
64	64	(7) serve as a focal point for receiving comments and
65	65	suggestions concerning state government policies and activities
66	66	that affect small and historically underutilized businesses;
67	67	(8) develop and suggest proposals for changes in state
68	68	policies and activities that adversely affect small and
69	69	historically underutilized businesses;
70	70	(9) provide to state agencies information on the
71	71	effects of proposed policies or actions that affect small and
72	72	historically underutilized businesses;
73	73	(10) provide information and assistance relating to
74	74	establishing, operating, or expanding small and historically
75	75	underutilized businesses;
76	76	(11) assist small and historically underutilized
77	77	businesses by:
78	78	(A) identifying:
79	79	(i) sources of financial assistance for
80	80	those businesses; and
81	81	(ii) financial barriers to those
82	82	businesses;
83	83	(B) working with relevant organizations to
84	84	identify financing programs that aid small businesses in overcoming
85	85	financial barriers;
86	86	(C) matching those businesses with sources of
87	87	financial assistance and credit enhancement; and
88	88	(D) assisting those businesses with the
89	89	preparation of applications for government loans, loan guarantees,
90	90	and credit enhancement programs;
91	91	(12) sponsor meetings, to the extent practicable in
92	92	cooperation with public and private educational institutions, to
93	93	provide training and disseminate information beneficial to small
94	94	and historically underutilized businesses;
95	95	(13) assist small and historically underutilized
96	96	businesses in their dealings with federal, state, and local
97	97	governmental agencies and provide information regarding
98	98	governmental requirements affecting small and historically
99	99	underutilized businesses;
100	100	(14) perform research, studies, and analyses of
101	101	matters affecting the interests of small and historically
102	102	underutilized businesses;
103	103	(15) use available resources within the state, such as
104	104	small business development centers, educational institutions, and
105	105	nonprofit associations, to coordinate the provision of management
106	106	and technical assistance to small and historically underutilized
107	107	businesses in a systematic manner;
108	108	(16) publish newsletters, brochures, and other
109	109	documents containing information useful to small and historically
110	110	underutilized businesses;
111	111	(17) identify successful small and historically
112	112	underutilized business assistance programs provided by other
113	113	states and determine the feasibility of adapting those programs for
114	114	implementation in this state;
115	115	(18) establish an outreach program to make the
116	116	existence of the office known to small and historically
117	117	underutilized businesses and potential clients throughout the
118	118	state;
119	119	(19) enlist the cooperation and assistance of public
120	120	and private agencies, businesses, and other organizations in
121	121	disseminating information about the programs and services provided
122	122	by the state that benefit small businesses and how small businesses
123	123	can participate in or make use of those programs and services;
124	124	(20) defer to the small business compliance assistance
125	125	program as defined by Section 5.135, Water Code, on advocacy and
126	126	technical assistance related to environmental programs that
127	127	regulate small businesses;
128	128	(21) develop a "one-stop" approach for all small
129	129	business needs, including competitive activity with state agencies
130	130	and political subdivisions; [and]
131	131	(22) promote the establishment of small business
132	132	development centers at accessible locations, including community
133	133	centers, park facilities, and public libraries, in areas of this
134	134	state with the fewest certified historically underutilized
135	135	businesses; and
136	136	(23) perform any other functions necessary to carry
137	137	out the purposes of this section.
138	138	SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 2161, Government Code, is
139	139	amended by adding Section 2161.067 to read as follows:
140	140	Sec. 2161.067. PUBLICITY. The comptroller shall publicize,
141	141	including through social media, the certification procedure for
142	142	historically underutilized businesses under this chapter and
143	143	opportunities for historically underutilized businesses to obtain
144	144	assistance and guidance, including through economic opportunity
145	145	forums.
146	146	SECTION 4. This Act takes effect September 1, 2021.