SENATE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 2704, 2774, 2823, PRINTER'S NO. 3826
3487, 3677
No. 100 Session of 1995
INTRODUCED BY RAYMOND, TULLI, PERZEL, BARLEY AND BROWN,
OCTOBER 25, 1995
AS AMENDED ON THIRD CONSIDERATION, IN SENATE, JUNE 24, 1996
AN ACT
1 Providing for a Pennsylvania Business Resource Center within the
2 Department of Commerce; and creating the Pennsylvania
3 Business Resource Center Advisory Board.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Short title.
7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Pennsylvania
8 Business Resource Center Act.
9 Section 2. Intent and purpose.
10 It is the intent of this act and its purpose shall be:
11 (1) To create a partnership of State government, private
12 industry, ORGANIZED LABOR and higher education to enhance <--
13 business development in this Commonwealth.
14 (2) To provide for the collection and coordination of
15 all relevant information regarding the location, development
16 and expansion of business and industry in this Commonwealth
17 and to provide for the innovative display of this information
1 to businesses and industries.
2 (3) To provide a centralized, multimedia facility for
3 businesses to meet with representatives of the Commonwealth
4 and the utility, transportation and other companies who would
5 provide services to them should the businesses locate in this
6 Commonwealth.
7 (4) To provide one-stop services to assist businesses in
8 identifying and securing appropriate permits needed to
9 establish and operate a business.
10 (5) To provide for the compilation of a comprehensive
11 listing of all permits required by Commonwealth agencies and
12 categorize the required permits into a comprehensive handbook
13 that is readily available to persons establishing a small
14 business.
15 (6) To provide for the facilitation of contacts for an
16 applicant with the Commonwealth agency responsible for the
17 review of the respective permit applications.
18 Section 3. Definitions.
19 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
20 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
21 context clearly indicates otherwise:
22 "Board." The Pennsylvania Business Resource Center Advisory
23 Board.
24 "Center." The Pennsylvania Business Resource Center.
25 "Department." The Department of Commerce of the
26 Commonwealth.
27 Section 4. The Pennsylvania Business Resource Center.
28 (a) Establishment.--The Pennsylvania Business Resource
29 Center is established within the Department of Commerce.
30 (b) Coordination.--The department shall coordinate with
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1 other governmental entities, businesses, economic development
2 organizations and academic institutions to develop a business
3 resource center.
4 (c) Contribution.--The center is authorized to accept
5 contributions, including money, tangible and intangible property
6 and other items of value, from other governmental entities,
7 businesses, economic development organizations and charitable
8 and academic institutions for the purpose of building and
9 operating a business resource center.
10 (d) Contract.--The department may contract, directly or
11 through another entity, for the development and operation, in
12 whole or in part, of the center.
13 Section 5. Pennsylvania Business Resource Center Advisory
14 Board.
15 (a) Establishment.--There is hereby established within the
16 department an advisory board known as the Pennsylvania Business
17 Resource Center Advisory Board.
18 (b) Membership.--The board shall consist of 13 15 16 members <--
19 as follows:
20 (1) The Secretary of Commerce or his designee.
21 (2) One member appointed by the Majority Leader of the
22 Senate.
23 (3) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the
24 Senate.
25 (4) One member appointed by the Majority Leader of the
26 House of Representatives.
27 (5) One member appointed by the Minority Leader of the
28 House of Representatives.
29 (6) Two members appointed by the Governor representing
30 higher education.
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1 (7) Two members appointed by the Governor representing
2 business or industry.
3 (8) Two members appointed by the Governor representing
4 economic development organizations.
5 (9) TWO MEMBERS APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR REPRESENTING <--
6 ORGANIZED LABOR.
7 (10) ONE MEMBER, APPOINTED BY THE GOVERNOR, WHO SHALL BE <--
8 A PRESIDENT OF A COMMUNITY COLLEGE WHICH HAS STRONG TECHNICAL
9 AND OCCUPATIONAL PROGRAMS.
10 (9) (10) (11) Two at-large members appointed by the <--
11 Governor.
12 (c) Chairperson.--The Secretary of Commerce or his designee
13 shall serve as the chairperson. The board may elect additional
14 officers as it deems necessary.
15 (d) Terms.--Members shall serve without compensation at the
16 pleasure of the respective appointing authority.
17 (e) Expenses.--The members of the board shall receive no
18 salary but shall be reimbursed for reasonable and necessary
19 expenses incurred in the performance of their duties.
20 Section 6. Powers and duties of board.
21 The board shall have the power and its duty shall be:
22 (1) To advise the Governor and General Assembly on ways
23 to promote this Commonwealth as a location for the expansion
24 of business and industry.
25 (2) To provide a state-of-the-art information and
26 computer system to supply businesses with all relevant
27 information regarding available sites and other relevant
28 business information relating to a business facility and a
29 suitable environment for meeting and presenting the
30 information to business representatives.
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1 (3) To make recommendations to the Governor on the
2 organization, ownership and management of the center, to
3 include public and private financing and participation,
4 future composition and status of the board, potential sites
5 for the center, computer systems, consultants, staff,
6 contractors and other services needed to establish the
7 business resource center.
8 (4) To gather information, issue reports, develop
9 marketing material and perform other activities as needed to
10 carry out the mission of the center and the purposes of this
11 act.
12 (5) To monitor the success of the center in attracting
13 prospective businesses to this Commonwealth.
14 (6) To solicit funds from the private sector for the
15 purposes of renovation, construction or operation of the
16 center.
17 (7) To make a budget recommendation to the Governor.
18 Section 7. Report.
19 On or before June 1, 1996 BEFORE APRIL 1, 1997, the board <--
20 shall present to the Governor and the General Assembly a report
21 of its findings and recommendations regarding the establishment
22 and operation of the Pennsylvania Business Resource Center, to
23 include a recommendation as to whether the board should become a
24 private corporate body.
25 Section 8. Expiration.
26 The Pennsylvania Business Resource Center Advisory Board and
27 Pennsylvania Business Resource Center shall expire on June <--
28 SEPTEMBER 30, 1996 JUNE 30, 1997, unless continued by the <--
29 General Assembly.
30 Section 9. Effective date.
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1 This act shall take effect in 30 days.
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