1 SB345
2 211446-1
3 By Senators Singleton and Marsh
4 RFD: Finance and Taxation General Fund
5 First Read: 16-MAR-21
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8 SYNOPSIS: This bill would establish the Prison PREP
9 Pilot Program for Small Business Development under
10 the Board of Pardons and Paroles and the Department
11 of Corrections.
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13 A BILL
14 TO BE ENTITLED
15 AN ACT
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17 Relating to the Pilot Program for Small Business
18 Development by Ex-Offenders; to establish the pilot program
19 under the Board of Pardons and Paroles; and to repeal Section
20 41-29-320, Code of Alabama 1975.
21 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF ALABAMA:
22 Section 1. (a) In this section, program means the
23 Pilot Program for Small Business Development by Ex-Offenders.
24 (b)(1) On or before October 1, 2021, subject to the
25 availability of funds, the Board of Pardons and Paroles, in
26 consultation with the Department of Corrections, shall
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1 establish the PREP pilot program to assist individuals exiting
2 the correctional system by providing both of the following:
3 a. Training in consultation with J. F. Ingram State
4 Technical College, in how to establish small businesses.
5 b. Assistance in obtaining funding to establish
6 small businesses.
7 (2) The Board of Pardons and Paroles and the
8 Department of Corrections may coordinate with other entities,
9 including, J. F. Ingram State Technical College, that offer to
10 provide resources for the program, including funding,
11 training, and mentoring services.
12 (3) Assist the individual in obtaining financing for
13 the individual's small business through the Alabama Small
14 Business Incubator Act, Sections 41-23-60 to 41-23-66,
15 inclusive, Code of Alabama 1975, or through other sources.
16 (c) The Board of Pardons and Paroles in consultation
17 with the Department of Corrections shall develop an evaluation
18 process for the program that includes a mechanism to evaluate
19 whether the program developed and operated by the Department
20 of Corrections has operated to encourage the establishment of
21 stable small businesses by individuals who:
22 (1) Have completed the Prison Entrepreneurship
23 Training Program during the last 2 years of incarceration.
24 (2) Have identified an interest or a skill set that
25 indicates a likelihood of successful implementation of the
26 business plan proposed by the individual.
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1 (d) An individual selected to participate in the
2 program shall receive training and mentoring in the
3 development of a business plan and related business subjects.
4 (e) The Board of Pardons and Paroles and the
5 Department of Corrections shall develop an evaluation process
6 as prescribed in this section for the program developed and
7 operated by the Board of Pardons and Paroles that does all the
8 following:
9 (1) Provide training locations, participants, and
10 funding for individuals that did not receive entrepreneurship
11 training during incarceration.
12 (2) That need training on how to start a business.
13 (3) Partner an individual participating in the
14 program with a mentor who will guide the individual over a
15 three-year period following the implementation of the
16 individual's business plan.
17 (g) The Board of Pardons and Paroles and the
18 Department of Corrections, shall report to the Legislature and
19 the Legislative Services Agency annually by the fifth
20 legislative day of each regular session of the Legislature, on
21 the effectiveness of the pilot program established under this
22 section in assisting individuals who have completed the Prison
23 Entrepreneurship Training Program and who have been recently
24 released from the correctional system in establishing
25 successful, stable small businesses.
26 (h) This section shall take effect July 1, 2021. It
27 shall remain effective for a period of five years and six
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1 months. On December 31, 2026, with no further action required
2 by the Legislature, this section shall be repealed and of no
3 further force and effect.
4 (i) Any funds appropriated by the Legislature for
5 this program shall be designated to the Board of Pardons and
6 Paroles, the Department of Corrections, and J. F. Ingram State
7 Technical College.
8 Section 2. Section 41-29-320, Code of Alabama 1975,
9 is repealed.
10 Section 3. This act shall become effective on the
11 first day of the third month following its passage and
12 approval by the Governor, or its otherwise becoming law.
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Statutes affected:
Introduced: 41-23-60, 41-23-66