1Establishing the Veteran's Entrepreneurial Training and Support
2Program; imposing powers and duties on the Department of
3Community and Economic Development; and making an
4appropriation.

5The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
6hereby enacts as follows:

7Section 1. Short title.

8This act shall be known and may be cited as the Veterans
9Entrepreneurial Training and Support Act.

10Section 2. Definitions.

11The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
12have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
13context clearly indicates otherwise:

14"Department." The Department of Community and Economic
15Development of the Commonwealth.

16"Secretary." The Secretary of Community and Economic
17Development.

18"Service-disabled veteran." A veteran who possess either a

1disability rating letter issued by the United States Department
2of Veterans Affairs or a disability determination from the
3United States Department of Defense.

4"Service-disabled veteran-owned small business." A small
5business owned and controlled by a service-disabled veteran or
6veterans or a surviving spouse or permanent caregiver of a
7service-disabled veteran.

8"Small business." A company that is engaged in a for-profit
9enterprise and employs no more than 100 individuals.

10"Veteran." A person who served on active duty in the United
11States Armed Forces, including any of the following:

12(1) A reservist or member of the National Guard who was
13discharged or released from the service under honorable
14conditions.

15(2) A reservist or member of the National Guard who
16completed an initial term of enlistment or qualifying period
17of service.

18(3) A reservist or member of the National Guard who was
19disabled in the line of duty during training.

20"Veteran-owned small business." A small business owned and
21controlled by a veteran or veterans. The term includes a
22service-disabled veteran-owned small business.

23Section 3. Veterans Entrepreneurial Training and Support
24Program.

25The department, in consultation with the Department of
26Military and Veterans Affairs, shall establish the Veterans
27Entrepreneurial Training and Support Program within the
28department to provide small business and entrepreneurial focused
29services to veterans and reservists and the spouses and children
30of veterans and reservists for purposes of assisting those

1individuals in obtaining the skills necessary to create, manage
2and operate a small business.

3Section 4. Veterans business centers.

4(a) Establishment.--In developing the Veterans
5Entrepreneurial Training and Support Program under section 3,
6the department shall create four veterans business centers
7throughout this Commonwealth. The location of the veterans
8business centers shall be at the discretion of the secretary,
9provided that veterans from all areas of this Commonwealth have
10reasonable access to a center.

11(b) Services.--Each veterans business center established
12under this section shall, at a minimum, provide the following
13services:

14(1) Financial advice, including training and counseling
15on applying for and securing business credit and investment
16capital, preparing and presenting financial statements and
17managing cash flow and other operations of a small business
18concern.

19(2) Information seminars on securing loans, business
20plan development, marketing, accounting, budgeting and
21merchandising.

22(3) Specialized programs to assist veteran-owned small
23businesses to secure capital and repair damaged credit.

24(4) One-on-one counseling to improve financial
25presentation of the businesses to lenders.

26(5) Facilitating the access of veteran-owned businesses
27to both traditional and nontraditional financing sources.

28(6) Counseling to small business owners who are members
29of reserve components to prepare their businesses for periods
30when owners are deployed.

1(7) Programs to assist unemployed veterans to become
2entrepreneurs.

3(8) Technical assistance with respect to the
4Commonwealth procurement process.

5(9) Management advice, including training and counseling
6on the planning, organization, staffing, direction and
7control of each major activity and function of a small
8business concern.

9(10) Marketing advice, including training in marketing,
10preparing and executing marketing plans, developing pricing
11strategies, locating contracting opportunities, negotiating
12contracts and using public relations and advertising.

13Section 5. Appropriation.

14The sum of $2,000,000 is appropriated from the General Fund
15to the Department of Community and Economic Development for the
16period of July 1, 2013, to June 30, 2014, for the purpose of
17carrying out the department's responsibilities under this act.

18Section 20. Effective date.

19This act shall take effect in 60 days.