Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

1                                 STATE OF OKLAHOMA
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 2                  1st Session of the 59th Legislature (2023)
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 3   SENATE BILL 119                         By: Bergstrom
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 6                                  AS INTRODUCED
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 7           An Act relating to economic development; creating the
 7           Right-to-Start Act; providing short title; creating
 8           the Office of Entrepreneurship; providing purpose of
 8           Office; requiring submission of report to
 9           Legislature; providing contents of report;
 9           authorizing the Office to track certain metrics of
10           business development in state; requiring certain
10           percentage of contracts to go to certain businesses;
11           encouraging the elimination of certain fees for new
11           businesses; providing for codification; and providing
12           an effective date.
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15   BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
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16       SECTION 1.      NEW LAW       A new section of law to be codified
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17   in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 5003.16 of Title 74, unless
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18   there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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19       This act shall be known and may be cited as the “Right-to-Start
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20   Act”.
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21       SECTION 2.      NEW LAW        A new section of law to be codified
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22   in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 5003.16.1 of Title 74, unless
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23   there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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     Req. No. 356                                                   Page 1
 1      A.   There is hereby created within the Oklahoma Department of
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 2   Commerce the Office of Entrepreneurship.
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 3      B.   The Office of Entrepreneurship shall employ personnel to
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 4   strengthen policies and programs supporting the growth of
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 5   entrepreneurship in the state including, but not limited to, across
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 6   demographic segments and geographic areas.   The Office shall work
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 7   with stakeholders and organizations supporting entrepreneurship to
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 8   enhance learning and skills, provide technical support, and expand
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 9   access to resources for entrepreneurs across this state.    The Office
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10   shall serve as a point of contact to assist businesses operating for
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11   five (5) years or less in their interactions with state government.
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12      C.   No later than January 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, the
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13   Office shall prepare an annual report detailing the extent to which
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14   state legislation that has been signed by the Governor in the prior
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15   legislative session or year supports, hinders, or otherwise affects
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16   businesses operating for five (5) years or less.
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17      D.   The Office shall support and advise the Executive Director
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18   of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce with preparing the report
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19   pursuant to Section 3 of this act.
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20      SECTION 3.     NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified
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21   in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 5003.16.2 of Title 74, unless
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22   there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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     Req. No. 356                                                Page 2
 1      A.    No later than January 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, the
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 2   Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce shall file
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 3   a report with the Legislature that includes, but is not limited to:
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 4      1.    The number and total dollar amount of state contracts
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 5   awarded to businesses that have been in operation for less than five
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 6   (5) years, including a breakdown by demographic segments and
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 7   geographic areas throughout the state;
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 8      2.    The percentage of the number of state contracts awarded to
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 9   businesses that have been in operation for less than five (5) years
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10   compared to the total number of contracts awarded; and
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11      3.    The percentage of the total dollar amount of state contracts
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12   awarded to businesses that have been in operation for less than five
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13   (5) years compared to the total dollar amount of contracts awarded.
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14      B.    The Director shall produce and file a report with the
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15   Legislature making recommendations on improving access to state
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16   contracts for businesses that have been in operation for less than
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17   five (5) years, including those businesses in statistically
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18   underrepresented demographic segments and geographic areas of the
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19   state.
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20      SECTION 4.      NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified
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21   in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 5003.16.3 of Title 74, unless
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22   there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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23      After the effective date of this act, the Legislature shall
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24   encourage five percent (5%) of the total number of state contracts
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     Req. No. 356                                                  Page 3
 1   to be awarded to businesses that have been in operation for less
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 2   than five (5) years and whose principal place of business is in the
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 3   state.
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 4      SECTION 5.      NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified
 4
 5   in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 5003.16.4 of Title 74, unless
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 6   there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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 7      No later than January 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, the
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 8   Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce shall file
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 9   a report with the Legislature that includes, but is not limited to:
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10      1.    The percentage of workforce development funding, including
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11   funding allocated by Workforce Development Boards across the state,
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12   supporting organization or programs for individuals starting new
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13   businesses or to those organizations or programs that provide
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14   services to businesses established within the previous five (5)
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15   years and whose principal place of business is in this state; and
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16      2.    The total dollar amount of workforce development funding,
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17   including funding allocated by Workforce Development Boards across
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18   the state, supporting organizations and programs for individuals
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19   starting new businesses, or to those organization or programs that
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20   provide services to businesses established within the previous five
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21   (5) years and whose principal place of business is in this state.
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22      SECTION 6.       NEW LAW    A new section of law to be codified
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23   in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 5003.16.5 of Title 74, unless
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24   there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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     Req. No. 356                                                Page 4
 1      After the effective date of this act, the Legislature shall
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 2   encourage five percent (5%) of workforce development funding,
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 3   including funding allocated by Workforce Development Boards across
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 4   the state, towards supporting organizations and programs for
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 5   individuals starting new businesses or to those organizations or
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 6   programs that provide services to businesses established within the
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 7   previous five (5) years and whose principal place of business is in
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 8   this state.
 8
 9      SECTION 7.     NEW LAW      A new section of law to be codified
 9
10   in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 5003.16.6 of Title 74, unless
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11   there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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12      No later than January 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, the
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13   Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department of Commerce shall file
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14   a report with the Legislature that includes, but is not limited to:
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15      1.   The percentage of economic development funding, including
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16   Community Development Block Grants, supporting organizations or
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17   programs for individuals starting new businesses or to those
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18   organizations or programs that provide services to businesses
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19   established within the previous five (5) years and whose principal
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20   place of business is in this state; and
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21      2.   The total dollar amount of economic development funding,
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22   including Community Development Block Grants, supporting
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23   organizations or programs for individuals starting new businesses or
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24   to those organizations or programs that provide services to
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     Req. No. 356                                               Page 5
 1   businesses established within the previous five (5) years and whose
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 2   principal place of business is in this state.
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 3       SECTION 8.     NEW LAW      A new section of law to be codified
 3
 4   in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 5003.16.7 of Title 74, unless
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 5   there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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 6       After the effective date of this act, the Legislature shall
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 7   encourage five percent (5%) of funding budgeted for economic
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 8   development programs, including Community Development Block Grants,
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 9   to be allocated to supporting organizations and programs for
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10   individuals starting new businesses or to those organizations or
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11   programs that provide services to businesses established within the
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12   previous five (5) years and whose principal place of business is in
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13   this state.
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14       SECTION 9.      NEW LAW     A new section of law to be codified
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15   in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 5003.16.8 of Title 74, unless
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16   there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
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17       After the effective date of this act, the Legislature shall
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18   encourage the elimination of all first-year business fees relating
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19   to any license or registration, for any new business or a person
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20   establishing a new business, including home-based businesses, whose
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21   principal place of business is in this state.
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22       SECTION 10.   This act shall become effective November 1, 2023.
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24       59-1-356       MR         1/3/2023 4:42:36 PM
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     Req. No. 356                                                Page 6