SCS HB 314(FIN): "An Act relating to the Alaska regional economic assistance program; extending the termination date of the Alaska regional economic assistance program; and providing for an effective date."
00 SENATE CS FOR HOUSE BILL NO. 314(FIN) 01 "An Act relating to the Alaska regional economic assistance program; extending the 02 termination date of the Alaska regional economic assistance program; and providing for 03 an effective date." 04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 05 * Section 1. AS 44.33.896(a) is amended to read: 06 (a) Subject to appropriation, the [THE] department shall 07 (1) encourage the formation of regional development organizations by 08 providing assistance in forming organizations to interested individuals, including 09 information on how to qualify and apply for regional development grants and federal 10 funding under 42 U.S.C. 3121 - 3246 (Public Works and Economic Development Act 11 of 1965), as amended; 12 (2) assist an interested individual in establishing boundaries for a 13 proposed organization to ensure that the region 14 (A) is of sufficient geographic size and contains a large enough
01 population to form an economically viable unit with shared interests, 02 resources, traditions, and goals; 03 (B) contains at least one municipality that serves as a regional 04 center; and 05 (C) contains the entire area of each municipality included in the 06 region; 07 (3) gather information about regional economic issues, international 08 trade, and tourism from organizations; 09 (4) serve as liaison between organizations and other state agencies and 10 encourage other agencies to make resources available to help accomplish goals of the 11 organizations; 12 (5) assist each organization to 13 (A) provide services designed to encourage economic 14 development to local communities and businesses; 15 (B) collect and distribute economic information relevant to the 16 region; 17 (C) participate in state marketing campaigns and join state 18 trade missions that are relevant to the region; and 19 (D) develop and implement strategies to attract new industry, 20 expand international trade opportunities, and encourage tourism within the 21 region. 22 * Sec. 2. AS 44.33.896(b) is amended to read: 23 (b) Subject to appropriation and to (c) of this section, the department may 24 make regional development grants to organizations for projects the department 25 determines will be of value in encouraging economic development. During a fiscal 26 year, the department may make not [NO] more than 15 grants and may only make 27 grants to one organization from a particular region. An organization that is designated 28 an economic development district under 42 U.S.C. 3171 qualifies for grants under this 29 subsection. The department shall by regulation adopt procedures for applying for 30 regional development grants, including application deadlines. The department may by 31 regulation establish additional grant eligibility requirements.
01 * Sec. 3. AS 44.33.896(e) is amended to read: 02 (e) Not later than February 1 of each year, the department shall compile a 03 report [ON STATEWIDE AND REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT 04 PROJECTS AND] on the activities of regional development organizations [THAT 05 HAVE RECEIVED ASSISTANCE UNDER (a) OF THIS SECTION OR A GRANT 06 UNDER (b) OF THIS SECTION]. The department shall deliver the report to the 07 senate secretary and the chief clerk of the house of representatives and notify the 08 legislature that the report is available. The report must include the information listed in 09 (1) - (3) of this subsection. To compile the report, the department shall require each 10 regional development organization to provide the following information to the 11 department on or before a date set by the department: 12 (1) an assistance and funding summary for the previous fiscal year that 13 includes 14 (A) the assistance provided to the organization by the 15 department, the amount and purposes of grants made to the organization by the 16 department, and a statement of any other funding received by the organization 17 from the state; 18 (B) the amount of federal funding and grants received by the 19 organization; and 20 (C) the amounts and sources of private sector sponsorships; 21 (2) an activity summary that includes 22 (A) a summary of the meetings of the board of the regional 23 development organization held during the past year, including the number of 24 meetings and the date, location, and a brief description of the agenda of each 25 meeting; 26 (B) a summary of economic development initiatives being 27 undertaken and services being provided by the regional development 28 organization at the time of the report; 29 (C) a work plan containing goals, objectives, and strategies for 30 addressing regional economic needs; 31 (D) a summary of any comprehensive economic development
01 strategy being implemented by the board at the time of the report; and 02 (E) the status of projects funded by grants from the state or the 03 federal government; and 04 (3) an economic development summary that includes 05 (A) potential projects identified by the board that may enhance 06 economic development; and 07 (B) challenges to regional economic development identified by 08 the board. 09 * Sec. 4. Section 21, ch. 2, SLA 2014, is amended to read: 10 Sec. 21. AS 44.33.896 is repealed July 1, 2021 [2016]. 11 * Sec. 5. The uncodified law of the State of Alaska is amended by adding a new section to 12 read: 13 RETROACTIVITY. If sec. 4 of this Act takes effect on or after July 1, 2016, it is 14 retroactive to July 1, 2016. 15 * Sec. 6. This Act takes effect immediately under AS 01.10.070(c).