HB 30: "An Act establishing the office of entrepreneurship; relating to new businesses in the state; relating to reports concerning procurements by agencies; and relating to initial business license fees for new businesses in the state."
00 HOUSE BILL NO. 30 01 "An Act establishing the office of entrepreneurship; relating to new businesses in the 02 state; relating to reports concerning procurements by agencies; and relating to initial 03 business license fees for new businesses in the state." 04 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 05 * Section 1. AS 36.30.540 is amended to read: 06 Sec. 36.30.540. Procurement report. The commissioner shall annually 07 [BIENNIALLY] prepare a report concerning procurements by agencies and notify the 08 legislature that the report is available. The report must include 09 (1) the records maintained by the commissioner under AS 36.30.510 10 and the records maintained under AS 36.30.520(a) for the previous [TWO] fiscal year 11 [YEARS]; 12 (2) a list of procurements made under this chapter from out-of-state 13 sources during the previous [TWO] fiscal year, [YEARS] together with the total 14 number of procurement contracts entered into during that period with out-of-state
01 contractors and the total value of these contracts; this paragraph does not apply to 02 procurements made under AS 36.30.320; and 03 (3) a list of procurements made under this chapter from state sources 04 during the previous [TWO] fiscal year, [YEARS] together with the total number of 05 procurement contracts entered into during that period with state contractors and the 06 total value of these contracts; this paragraph does not apply to procurements made 07 under AS 36.30.320; 08 (4) the total number of procurement contracts entered into during 09 the previous fiscal year with new businesses in the state, the total value of these 10 contracts, and details on the demographic and geographic areas of these 11 businesses; 12 (5) the percentage of the total number and total value of 13 procurement contracts entered into in the previous fiscal year that were entered 14 into with new businesses in the state; and 15 (6) recommendations on improving access to procurement 16 contracts for new businesses in the state, including details on new businesses in 17 the state in statistically underrepresented demographic segments and geographic 18 areas of the state. 19 * Sec. 2. AS 36.30.540 is amended by adding a new subsection to read: 20 (b) In this section, "new business in the state" has the meaning given in 21 AS 44.33.859. 22 * Sec. 3. AS 43.70.030(a) is amended to read: 23 (a) The fee for each business license is $50 a year, except that the fee is 24 (1) $25 if the business is a sole proprietorship and the sole proprietor is 25 (A) [(1)] 65 years of age or older when the sole proprietor 26 applies for the license or will reach 65 years of age at any time during the year 27 for which the license is issued; or 28 (B) [(2)] a disabled veteran; and 29 (2) $0 for an initial business license if the business is a new 30 business in the state as defined in AS 44.33.859. 31 * Sec. 4. AS 44.33 is amended by adding new sections to read:
01 Article 13A. Entrepreneurship. 02 Sec. 44.33.850. Office of entrepreneurship. The office of entrepreneurship is 03 created in the Department of Commerce, Community, and Economic Development. 04 Sec. 44.33.853. Duties. The office shall 05 (1) employ personnel; 06 (2) promote entrepreneurship growth in the state; 07 (3) assist stakeholders and organizations supporting entrepreneurship 08 with enhancing skills and learning opportunities, providing technical support, and 09 expanding access to resources for entrepreneurs in the state; 10 (4) assist new businesses in the state in navigating interactions with the 11 state. 12 Sec. 44.33.855. Annual report. On or before January 1 of each year, the office 13 shall prepare a report detailing legislation enacted in the previous year that supports, 14 hinders, or otherwise affects new businesses in the state. The office shall submit the 15 report to the senate secretary and the chief clerk of the house of representatives and 16 notify the legislature that the report is available. 17 Sec. 44.33.857. New state business development. (a) Subject to 18 appropriation, each fiscal year, state agencies shall collectively expend an amount 19 equal to five percent of the total amount appropriated for economic development 20 programs in a fiscal year for support organizations or programs that provide services 21 to new businesses in the state. 22 (b) A state agency shall notify the office of the expenditure of funds under this 23 section. The notification must include the amount of the expenditure and identify the 24 organization or program that received the funds. 25 Sec. 44.33.859. Definitions. In AS 44.33.850 - 44.33.859, 26 (1) "new business in the state" means a business with its principal 27 place of business in the state that has been in operation for less than five years; 28 (2) "office" means the office of entrepreneurship; 29 (3) "state agency" means a department, institution, board, commission, 30 division, authority, public corporation, committee, or other administrative unit of the 31 executive branch of state government.