PRINTER'S NO. 3366
No. 2398 Session of 2002
INTRODUCED BY BUNT, DALEY, BASTIAN, FORCIER, ARMSTRONG, M. BAKER, BROWNE, CAPPELLI, COY, DeWEESE, EGOLF, FAIRCHILD, FEESE, FICHTER, GEORGE, GODSHALL, GORDNER, HENNESSEY, HERMAN, LAUGHLIN, MANN, MARSICO, McCALL, McGILL, McILHATTAN, PHILLIPS, PICKETT, RUBLEY, SAYLOR, SOLOBAY, STABACK, STERN, TIGUE, WALKO, WATSON AND ZUG, MARCH 7, 2002
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON AGRICULTURE AND RURAL AFFAIRS, MARCH 7, 2002
AN ACT 1 Amending the act of June 29, 1996 (P.L.434, No.67), entitled, as 2 amended, "An act to enhance job creation and economic 3 development by providing for an annual financing strategy, 4 for opportunity grants, for job creation tax credits, for 5 small business assistance, for the Small Business Advocacy 6 Council, for a family savings program, for industrial 7 development assistance, for community development bank grants 8 and loans and for tax-exempt bond allocation; conferring 9 powers and duties on various administrative agencies and 10 authorities; further providing for various funds; and making 11 repeals," further providing for small business definitions 12 and loan eligibility and terms. 13 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 14 hereby enacts as follows: 15 Section 1. The definitions of "capital development project" 16 and "small business enterprise" in section 1301 of the act of 17 June 29, 1996 (P.L.434, No.67), known as the Job Enhancement 18 Act, added December 3, 1998 (P.L.788, No.100), are amended and 19 the section is amended by adding definitions to read: 20 Section 1301. Definitions.
1 The following words and phrases when used in this chapter 2 shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the 3 context clearly indicates otherwise: 4 * * * 5 "Agricultural producer." A person involved in the management 6 and use of a normal agricultural operation for the production of 7 a farm commodity. 8 * * * 9 "Capital development project" or "project." Land, buildings, 10 equipment and machinery and working capital which is acquired, 11 constructed, renovated or used by a small business enterprise: 12 (1) As part of a for-profit project or venture not of a 13 mercantile or service-related nature, except for hospitality 14 industry projects. 15 (2) To bring a small business enterprise into compliance 16 with Federal or State environmental laws or regulations or to 17 complete an approved remediation project or to permit the 18 small business enterprise to adopt generally acceptable 19 pollution prevention practices. 20 (3) To provide assistance to small business enterprises 21 that are recyclers of municipal or commercial waste or that 22 are manufacturers using recycled municipal or commercial 23 waste materials. 24 (4) To assist a small business enterprise with defense 25 conversion activities. 26 (5) For the manufacture of products to be exported out 27 of the United States by a small business enterprise as part 28 of a for-profit project or venture not of a mercantile or 29 service-related nature, except for export-related services 30 and international export-related mercantile ventures or 20020H2398B3366 - 2 -
1 advanced technology and computer-related services and 2 mercantile ventures, which will increase this Commonwealth's 3 national or international market shares. 4 (6) As part of a for-profit project or venture that 5 meets the requirements of section 1303(a.1) and (a.3). 6 * * * 7 "Normal agricultural operation." The activities, practices, 8 equipment and procedures which agricultural producers adopt, use 9 or engage in in the production and preparation for market of 10 farm commodities. The term includes new activities, practices, 11 equipment and procedures consistent with technological 12 development within the agricultural industry. 13 * * * 14 "Small business [enterprises] enterprise." A for-profit 15 corporation, partnership or proprietorship which meets the 16 eligibility requirements established by the department. The term 17 shall include, but is not limited to, a small business 18 [enterprises] enterprise which: 19 (1) is located in a small business incubator 20 [facilities, small business enterprises which are] facility; 21 (2) is an agricultural [processors and small business 22 enterprises which manufacture] processor; 23 (3) is an agricultural producer; or 24 (4) manufactures apparel products. 25 * * * 26 Section 2. Section 1303(a.2) and (b) of the act, amended 27 November 17, 1998 (P.L.788, No.100), are amended and the section 28 is amended by adding a subsection to read: 29 Section 1303. Eligibility for and terms and conditions of 30 loans. 20020H2398B3366 - 3 -
1 * * * 2 (a.2) Pollution prevention assistance loans.--The Pollution 3 Prevention Assistance Account created under section 1302(b.1) 4 shall provide revolving loans to small [businesses] business 5 enterprises. 6 (1) The loans shall be for the purpose of enabling the 7 small business enterprise to adopt or install pollution 8 prevention equipment or processes to: 9 (i) Reduce or reuse raw materials onsite. 10 (ii) Reduce the production of waste. 11 (iii) Reduce energy consumption. 12 (2) The Pollution Prevention Assistance Account shall 13 not invest on the basis of direct financial return and shall 14 not be held to the loan loss standards of commercial lenders. 15 Loans shall be for the purpose of reducing pollution through 16 source reduction technologies or processes. 17 (3) A loan under this subsection may not exceed the 18 lesser of: 19 (i) $50,000; or 20 (ii) 75% of eligible project costs. 21 (4) Loans under this subsection shall have an interest 22 rate of 2% per year and a maximum repayment term of seven 23 years. 24 (5) An industrial resource center receiving funds under 25 the act of July 2, 1993 (P.L.439, No.64), known as the Ben 26 Franklin/IRC Partnership Act, may utilize the account to 27 provide assistance to a small business enterprise for which a 28 loan application has been made. 29 (6) Loans under this subsection shall be used to further 30 the goal of pollution prevention through the purchase and 20020H2398B3366 - 4 -
1 installation of equipment to make operational changes and 2 modify production practices. 3 (a.3) Loans to small business enterprises which are 4 agricultural producers.-- 5 (1) The department may provide loans to small business 6 enterprises which are agricultural producers. Loans shall be 7 made in accordance with the provisions of this chapter except 8 as follows: 9 (i) The provisions of subsection (b) relating to 10 required increases in employment shall not apply to loans 11 made under this subsection. 12 (ii) The department may authorize flexible repayment 13 terms and an interest rate of not less than 2%. 14 (iii) The department may utilize additional area 15 loan organizations, including community development 16 financial institutions, to receive loan applications and 17 administer loans. 18 (iv) The department may use its best judgment to 19 identify and secure collateral. 20 (2) The department and area loan organizations shall not 21 make loans under this subsection on the basis of direct 22 financial return on investment and shall not be held to the 23 loan loss standards of private commercial lenders. Loans 24 shall be for the purpose of enhancement and growth of normal 25 agricultural operations. 26 (b) Terms and conditions.-- 27 (1) The department may make advances from the Small 28 Business First Fund, subject to the terms, conditions and 29 restrictions provided under this chapter, to area loan 30 organizations for the purpose of making loans to eligible 20020H2398B3366 - 5 -
1 small business enterprises for capital development projects
2 which demonstrate a substantial likelihood of creating or
3 preserving employment opportunities. All loans shall be
4 limited to projects that demonstrate the creation or
5 preservation of one job for every $25,000 received from the
6 Small Business First Fund.
7 (2) No loans shall be made which would do any of the
8 following:
9 (i) Cause, aid or assist in, directly, the
10 relocation of any business operations from one part of
11 this Commonwealth to another unless there is at least a
12 25% net increase in employment.
13 (ii) Refinance any portion of the total project cost
14 or other existing loans or debt.
15 (iii) Finance projects located outside the
16 geographic boundaries of this Commonwealth.
17 (iv) Provide funds, directly or indirectly, for
18 payment, distribution or as loan owners, partners or
19 shareholders of the small business enterprise, except as
20 ordinary compensation for services rendered.
21 (v) Provide funds for speculation in any kind of
22 property, real or personal, tangible or intangible.
23 (3) All loans shall carry an interest rate and term and
24 shall be secured by lien positions on collateral at the
25 highest level of priority as may be determined by the area
26 loan organization with the approval of the department.
27 Section 3. This act shall take effect immediately.
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