Rep. Norm Thurston — Voting Record

Bill

Number

H.B. 53 (2016GS)

Sponsor

Rep. Westwood, J.

Final action

Governor Signed 3/25/2016

Outcome

Became law — signed by Gov. Gary R. Herbert

Summary

What it does

• This bill:
• repeals the Utah Business Assistance Advisory Board;
• allows GOED to convene an advisory group as needed to make recommendations for business resource center improvements;
• provides certain rulemaking authority to GOED; and
• makes technical changes.

Every vote on this bill

Bill text

BUSINESS RESOURCE CENTERS AMENDMENTS
GENERAL SESSION
STATE OF UTAH
Chief Sponsor: John R. Westwood
Senate Sponsor: 
Ann Millner
LONG TITLE
General Description:
This bill modifies economic development programs under the Governor's Office of
Economic Development (GOED) by amending the Utah Business Resource Centers
Act. 
Highlighted Provisions:
This bill:
▸ repeals the Utah Business Assistance Advisory Board;
▸ allows GOED to convene an advisory group as needed to make recommendations
for business resource center improvements;
▸ provides certain rulemaking authority to GOED; and
▸ makes technical changes.
Money Appropriated in this Bill:
None
Other Special Clauses:
None
Utah Code Sections Affected:
AMENDS:
63N-3-304
, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 283
63N-3-305
, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 283
63N-3-306
, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 283
63N-3-307
, as renumbered and amended by Laws of Utah 2015, Chapter 283
Be it enacted by the Legislature of the state of Utah:
Section 1. Section 
63N-3-304
 is amended to read:
63N-3-304.
Establishment and administration of business resource centers --
Components.
(1) The office shall establish business resource centers in at least four different
geographical regions of the state where host institutions are located and the host institutions
agree to enter into a business resource center partnership with the office.
(2) The office, in partnership with a host institution, shall provide methodology and
oversight for a business resource center.
(3) A host institution shall contribute 50% of a business resource center's operating
costs through cash or in-kind contributions, unless otherwise provided under Subsection
63N-3-307
[
(7)
]
(3)
.
(4) The office shall [
work with the Utah Business Assistance Advisory Board
established under Section 
63N-3-306
, hereafter referred to in this part as "the board," to
]
provide operational oversight and coordination of the business resource centers established
under this part.
(5) (a) A business resource center shall work with state agencies in creating methods to
coordinate functions and measure the impact of the efforts provided by the state agencies and
the center.
(b) The host institution, state, local and federal governmental entities,
quasi-governmental entities, and private entities may:
(i) participate in the activities offered by or through a business resource center; and
(ii) provide personnel or other appropriate links to the center.
(c) (i) Other entities that are not initially involved in the establishment of a business
resource center and that are capable of providing supportive services to Utah businesses may
apply to the center to become a provider of services at the center.
(ii) Entities identified in Subsections (5)(a) and (b) shall provide the [
board
] 
office
with a service plan, to include funding, which would be made available or supplied to cover the
expenses of their services offered at a business resource center.
[
(iii) The board shall review each application made under Subsection (5)(c)(i) and
make a recommendation for approval by the office as a precondition for providing the service
being offered.
]
(6) A business resource center may:
(a) partner with the office, other host institutions, and other entities to develop and
establish web-based access to virtual business resource center services over the Internet to
assist in establishing and growing businesses in the state, particularly in those situations where
traveling to a business resource center site is not practical;
(b) develop a data base and software for:
(i) tracking clients and their progress; and
(ii) tracking responses and services provided by state agencies and evaluating their
effectiveness; and
(c) develop outreach programs and services targeted to business clients in rural areas of
the state.
(7) The office shall include in the annual written report described in Section
63N-1-301
, a report on measured performance of economic development programs offered by
or through established business resource centers.
Section 2. Section 
63N-3-305
 is amended to read:
63N-3-305.
Duties and responsibilities of a business resource center.
(1) A business resource center shall:
(a) have a director;
(b) be the organization responsible for identifying, tracking, coordinating, and
measuring output of assisted business clients in its region;
(c) develop programs to aid business clients in finding [
the
] 
needed
 resources [
they
need
];
(d) recruit state-funded agencies to locate and establish their programs in the business
center's region;
(e) initiate and encourage business education programs, including programs in
collaboration with public, private, and governmental and educational institutions; and
(f) work with the host institution in providing academic resources, including faculty
and student assistance.
(2) A business resource center shall collaborate with the host institution and state
agencies to:
(a) provide research, development, or training programs for new or existing businesses,
industries, or high technology business located in its region;
(b) assist in providing needs assessment relating to new or existing businesses,
industries, or high technology business in conjunction with other public or private economic
development programs or initiatives;
(c) assist in providing business incubator space or services, or both, if considered
feasible and practical, to clients based on criteria established by the office [
in consultation with
the board
];
(d) work with local business leaders and government officials to help them formulate
and implement sound, coordinated, and measurable economic development programs for their
communities; and
(e) work with local government and other entities in its region in developing and
certifying non-state funded satellite business resource centers.
Section 3. Section 
63N-3-306
 is amended to read:
63N-3-306.
Advisory group.
[
(1) There is created the Utah Business Assistance Advisory Board, composed of at
least 13 members appointed by the executive director of the office.
]
[
(2) (a) The executive director shall appoint:
]
[
(i) one member from three host institutions of business resource centers on a rotating
basis;
]
[
(ii) three members from urban areas in the state;
]
[
(iii) two members from rural areas in the state; and
]
[
(iv) one member from each host institution of a statewide business service provider.
]
[
(b) The executive director may appoint ex officio board members who are sponsors of
or partners with statewide business server providers.
]
[
(3) Each board member shall have a background or expertise in any one or all of the
following:
]
[
(a) state or local economic development;
]
[
(b) business networking, growth, or development;
]
[
(c) entrepreneurship;
]
[
(d) business management or administration; or
]
[
(e) the establishment of partnerships or collaborative efforts with state, local, and
federal agencies and institutions, as well as private entities.
]
[
(4) (a) The executive director shall appoint board members for four-year terms.
]
[
(b) The board shall, at the time of appointment or reappointment, adjust the length of
terms to ensure that the terms of these members are staggered so that approximately half of the
members are appointed every two years.
]
[
(c) When a vacancy occurs in the membership for any reason, the replacement shall be
appointed by the executive director for the unexpired term in the same manner as the vacated
member was chosen.
]
[
(5) The board shall elect one of its members as a chair of the board for a two-year
term.
]
[
(6) The board shall meet at the call of the chair, but at least quarterly.
]
[
(7) (a) A majority of the members of the board constitute a quorum.
]
[
(b) The action of a majority of a quorum constitutes the action of the board.
]
[
(8) A member may not receive compensation or benefits for the member's service, but
may receive per diem and travel expenses in accordance with:
]
[
(a) Section 
63A-3-106
;
]
[
(b) Section 
63A-3-107
; and
]
[
(c) rules made by the Division of Finance under Sections 
63A-3-106
 and 
63A-3-107
.
]
The office may convene an advisory group, as needed, to make recommendations
regarding:
(1) improvements to a business resource center;
(2) the selection of a business-service provider; or
(3) the general status of a business resource center's duties as described in Section
63N-3-305
.
Section 4. Section 
63N-3-307
 is amended to read:
63N-3-307.
Office duties.
The [
board
] 
office
 shall:
(1) [
assist the office in providing
] 
administer grants to business resource centers and
provide
 operational oversight, coordination, and performance review [
and provide advice and
]
to
 improve the effectiveness of state-funded business assistance programs throughout the state
[
as designated by the executive director
];
[
(2) make recommendations to the office on requirements for the requisite certification
of each business resource center and staff at each center by the executive director;
]
[
(3) make recommendations to the office for certification of the business plans the
board is required to review under Subsection 
63N-3-304
(5)(c)(iii);
]
[
(4) at the direction of the executive director:
]
[
(a) assist the office in providing operational oversight to and coordination of the
business resource centers established under this part; and
]
[
(b) work closely with the Governor's Office of Economic Development's Board of
Business and Economic Development;
]
[
(5) identify issues and make recommendations to the office regarding programs,
policies, and procedures that could be implemented by:
]
[
(a) business resource centers in fulfilling their duties and responsibilities under
Section 
63N-3-305
; and
]
[
(b) state-funded business service providers;
]
[
(6) make budget recommendations to the office
]
(2) create a competitive budget allocation process
 regarding the operation and staffing
of business resource centers established under this part; 
and
[
(7) recommend
] 
(3) in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative
Rulemaking Act, make rules establishing:
(a)
 matching fund exceptions under Subsection 
63N-3-304
(3);
[
(8) recommend certification of all non-state funded satellite business resource centers;
and
]
(b) criteria for the approval, creation, and oversight of each business resource center
and its staff, including a non-state funded satellite business resource center;
[
(9) establish
] 
(c)
 metrics to report the performance of economic development output
in each region serviced by a business resource center[
.
]
; and
(d) criteria for approving and overseeing business plans.