PRINTER'S NO. 2490
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1678
Session of
2015
INTRODUCED BY ROZZI, THOMAS, YOUNGBLOOD, MACKENZIE, BISHOP,
MILLARD, KINSEY, CALTAGIRONE, DRISCOLL, ACOSTA, SANTARSIERO,
GIBBONS, O'BRIEN, D. COSTA, SCHREIBER, HELM, RAPP, READSHAW,
SCHWEYER AND McNEILL, NOVEMBER 5, 2015
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY
PREPAREDNESS, NOVEMBER 5, 2015
AN ACT
Establishing the Veteran's Entrepreneurial Training and Support
Program; imposing powers and duties on the Department of
Community and Economic Development; and making an
appropriation.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Veterans
Entrepreneurial Training and Support Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Department." The Department of Community and Economic
Development of the Commonwealth.
"Secretary." The Secretary of Community and Economic
Development of the Commonwealth.
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"Service-disabled veteran." A veteran who possesses either a
disability rating letter issued by the United States Department
of Veterans Affairs or a disability determination from the
United States Department of Defense.
"Service-disabled veteran-owned small business." A small
business owned and controlled by a service-disabled veteran or
service-disabled veterans or a surviving spouse or permanent
caregiver of a service-disabled veteran.
"Small business." A company that is engaged in a for-profit
enterprise and employs no more than 100 individuals.
"Veteran." A person who served on active duty in the United
States Armed Forces, including any of the following:
(1) A reservist or member of the National Guard who was
discharged or released from the service under honorable
conditions.
(2) A reservist or member of the National Guard who
completed an initial term of enlistment or qualifying period
of service.
(3) A reservist or member of the National Guard who was
disabled in the line of duty during training.
"Veteran-owned small business." A small business owned and
controlled by a veteran or veterans. The term includes a
service-disabled veteran-owned small business.
Section 3. Veterans Entrepreneurial Training and Support
Program.
The department, in consultation with the Department of
Military and Veterans Affairs, shall establish the Veterans
Entrepreneurial Training and Support Program within the
department to provide small business and entrepreneurial focused
services to veterans and reservists and the spouses and children
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of veterans and reservists for purposes of assisting those
individuals in obtaining the skills necessary to create, manage
and operate a small business.
Section 4. Veterans business centers.
(a) Establishment.--In developing the Veterans
Entrepreneurial Training and Support Program under section 3,
the department shall create four veterans business centers
throughout this Commonwealth. The location of the veterans
business centers shall be at the discretion of the secretary,
provided that veterans from all areas of this Commonwealth have
reasonable access to a center.
(b) Services.--Each veterans business center established
under this section shall, at a minimum, provide the following
services:
(1) Financial advice, including training and counseling
on applying for and securing business credit and investment
capital, preparing and presenting financial statements and
managing cash flow and other operations of a small business
concern.
(2) Information seminars on securing loans, business
plan development, marketing, accounting, budgeting and
merchandising.
(3) Specialized programs to assist veteran-owned small
businesses to secure capital and repair damaged credit.
(4) One-on-one counseling to improve financial
presentation of the businesses to lenders.
(5) Facilitating the access of veteran-owned businesses
to both traditional and nontraditional financing sources.
(6) Counseling to small business owners who are members
of reserve components to prepare their businesses for periods
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when owners are deployed.
(7) Programs to assist unemployed veterans to become
entrepreneurs.
(8) Technical assistance with respect to the
Commonwealth procurement process.
(9) Management advice, including training and counseling
on the planning, organization, staffing, direction and
control of each major activity and function of a small
business concern.
(10) Marketing advice, including training in marketing,
preparing and executing marketing plans, developing pricing
strategies, locating contracting opportunities, negotiating
contracts and using public relations and advertising.
Section 5. Effective date.
This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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