PRINTER'S NO. 270
No. 273 Session of 2001
INTRODUCED BY C. WILLIAMS, DeWEESE, CAPPABIANCA, GORDNER,
McILHATTAN, LESCOVITZ, ROONEY, BUXTON, COY, PRESTON, ROBERTS,
McCALL, HERMAN, ROBINSON, BELARDI, WOJNAROSKI, GEORGE,
LAUGHLIN, CAWLEY, TIGUE, SANTONI, CORRIGAN, COSTA, FREEMAN,
KENNEY, WALKO, RUBLEY, MANN, FRANKEL, LEVDANSKY, STEELMAN,
STABACK, LEDERER, YOUNGBLOOD, COLAFELLA, STURLA, ORIE, TRICH,
BELFANTI, JOSEPHS AND DeLUCA, JANUARY 29, 2001
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
JANUARY 29, 2001
AN ACT
1 Establishing the Women's Business Ownership Council; providing
2 for its powers and duties; and making an appropriation.
3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
4 hereby enacts as follows:
5 Section 1. Short title.
6 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Women's
7 Business Ownership Act.
8 Section 2. Women's Business Ownership Council.
9 (a) Council established.--There is established within the
10 Department of Community and Economic Development the Women's
11 Business Ownership Council. The council shall consist of ten
12 members, with five persons appointed by the Governor, one person
13 appointed by the Majority Leader of the Senate, one person
14 appointed by the Minority Leader of the Senate, one person
15 appointed by the Majority Leader of the House of
1 Representatives, one person appointed by the Minority Leader of
2 the House of Representatives and one person appointed by the
3 Governor from the Pennsylvania Commission for Women.
4 (b) Qualifications of council members.--Appointed members
5 shall be uniquely qualified by education, professional knowledge
6 or experience to serve on the council and shall reflect the
7 ethnic, cultural and geographic diversity of this Commonwealth.
8 Of the ten members, at least five shall be women business
9 owners. For purposes of this act, a woman business owner shall
10 be defined as a woman who is either:
11 (1) the principal of a company or business concern, 51%
12 of which is owned, operated and controlled by women; or
13 (2) a senior officer or director of a company or
14 business concern who also has either:
15 (i) material responsibility for the daily operations
16 and management of the overall company or business
17 concern; or
18 (ii) material responsibility for the policymaking of
19 the company or business concern.
20 (c) Initial appointment.--Of the initial appointments,
21 members shall be randomly assigned to staggered terms, four
22 members shall be appointed for a term of three years, three
23 members shall be appointed for a term of two years and three
24 members shall be appointed for a term of one year. Upon the
25 expiration of each member's term, a successor shall be appointed
26 for a term of three years.
27 (d) Vacancy in office.--In the case of a vacancy in the
28 office of any member, a successor shall be appointed for the
29 remainder of the unexpired term by the person designated as
30 responsible for making the appointment. No member shall serve
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1 more than three consecutive terms. Members shall serve without
2 compensation but shall be reimbursed for expenses incurred in
3 connection with the performance of their duties as members.
4 (e) Chairperson.--One of the members shall be designated as
5 chairperson by the Governor. In the event the Governor does not
6 appoint the chairperson within 60 days after the effective date
7 of this act, the council shall convene and elect a chairperson
8 by a simple majority vote. Upon a vacancy in the position of
9 chairperson, the Governor shall have 30 days from the date of
10 the resignation to appoint a new chairperson. In the event the
11 Governor does not appoint a new chairperson within 30 days, the
12 council shall convene and elect a new chairperson by a simple
13 majority vote.
14 (f) First meeting of council.--The first meeting of the
15 council shall be held within 90 days after the effective date of
16 this act. The council shall meet quarterly and may hold other
17 meetings on the call of the chairperson. Six members shall
18 constitute a quorum. The council may adopt rules it deems
19 necessary to govern its own procedures. The Department of
20 Community and Economic Development shall cooperate with the
21 council to fulfill the purposes of this act and shall provide
22 the council with necessary staff and administrative support.
23 (g) Fund.--The council may apply for grants from the public
24 and private sector and is authorized to accept grants, gifts and
25 donations which shall be deposited into a special fund in the
26 State Treasury to be known as the Women's Business Ownership
27 Fund.
28 (h) Executive director.--The women's business advocate shall
29 serve as executive director of the council.
30 Section 3. Duties and responsibilities of council.
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1 (a) Hearings.--The council shall conduct hearings, as
2 necessary, and issue an annual report to the Governor and the
3 General Assembly regarding the status of women business owners
4 within this Commonwealth. In that regard, the council shall
5 review the following:
6 (1) The status of women-owned businesses Statewide,
7 including progress made and barriers that remain, in order to
8 assist these businesses to enter the mainstream of the
9 Pennsylvania economy.
10 (2) The role of State and local government in assisting
11 and promoting aid to and the promotion of women-owned
12 businesses.
13 (3) Data collected by private and public sector entities
14 relating to women-owned businesses.
15 (4) Any other government initiatives that may exist
16 relating to women-owned businesses, including, but not
17 limited to, those relating to State and local procurement.
18 (b) Council recommendation.--The council shall recommend to
19 the Governor and the General Assembly, on an annual basis, all
20 of the following:
21 (1) New private sector initiatives that would provide
22 management and technical assistance to women-owned
23 businesses.
24 (2) Ways to promote greater access to public and private
25 sector financing and procurement opportunities for these
26 businesses.
27 (3) Detailed multiyear plans of action with specific
28 goals and timetables for both public and private sector
29 actions needed to overcome discriminatory barriers to full
30 participation in the economic mainstream.
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1 (c) Information from State agencies.--The council may hold
2 hearings, take testimony and request information from State
3 agencies.
4 Section 4. Appropriation.
5 The sum of $25,000, or as much thereof as may be necessary,
6 is hereby appropriated to the Department of Community and
7 Economic Development for the fiscal year July 1, 2001, to June
8 30, 2002, to carry out the provisions of this act.
9 Section 5. Effective date.
10 This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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