MICHIGAN PATRIOT BUSINESS ACT S.B. 732 (S-1)-734 (S-1): FLOOR ANALYSIS


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Senate Bill 732 (Substitute S-1 as reported)
Senate Bill 733 (as reported without amendment)
Senate Bill 734 (Substitute S-1 as reported)
Sponsor: Senator Randy Richardville (S.B. 732) Senator Jason E. Allen (S.B. 733) Senator Dennis Olshove (S.B. 734)
Committee: Senior Citizens and Veterans Affairs

CONTENT
Senate Bill 732 (S-1) would create the "Michigan Patriot Business Act" to require the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) board to do all of the following:

-- Designate qualified business enterprises (more than 50% owned by one or more qualified veterans) as Michigan patriot businesses.
-- Maintain a current list of Michigan patriot businesses and make it available to the public on the MSF board's internet website, and available to the Department of Management and Budget (DMB).
-- Provide technical, managerial, and counseling services and assistance to qualified business enterprises.
-- Coordinate, apply for, and administer Federal funding grants from Federal agencies, where applicable.
-- Establish a center for the development, collection, and dissemination of information that would be helpful to people and organizations throughout the State in undertaking or promoting the establishment and successful operation of qualified business enterprises.
-- Assist in experimental and demonstration projects designed to overcome the special problems of qualified business enterprises, and defray all or part of the cost of such projects.
-- Recommend appropriate legislative or executive actions to enhance the opportunities of qualified business enterprises in Michigan.
-- Assist qualified business enterprises in obtaining governmental or commercial financing for business expansion, establishment of new businesses, or industrial development projects.
-- Assist qualified business enterprises in business contract procurement from governmental and private commercial sources.
-- Provide a program effort to ensure participation of qualified veterans in qualified business enterprise activities.


With the participation of other State departments and agencies as appropriate, the MSF board would have to develop comprehensive plans and specific program goals for a qualified business enterprise program; establish regular performance monitoring and reporting systems to assure that the goals were being achieved; and evaluate the impact of Federal and State support in achieving the objectives established by the board. The board also would have to implement State policy in support of qualified business enterprise development and coordinate the plans, programs, and operations of State government that affected or could contribute to the establishment, preservation, and strengthening of qualified business enterprises.
In addition, the board would have to promote the mobilization of activities and resources of State agencies and local governments, business and trade associations, universities, foundations, professional organizations, and volunteer and other groups toward the growth of qualified business enterprises, and facilitate the coordination of the efforts of these groups with those of other State departments and agencies. Also, to ensure consistency with program goals and preclude duplication of effort, the board would have to conduct coordinated reviews of all proposed State training and technical assistance activities in direct support of the qualified business enterprise program.

"Qualified veteran" would mean an individual whose legal residence before, during, and after military service is in Michigan; who served as a member of any branch of the U.S. armed forces and received an honorable discharge or a discharge for physical reasons with an honorable record; and whose military service included service in the Persian Gulf combat zone as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom or in southern or central Asia as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.


Senate Bill 733 would amend the Michigan Strategic Fund Act to require the Michigan Strategic Fund, in cooperation with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) and the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs (DMVA), to create and operate a program that provided window decals to qualified business enterprises, identifying them as qualified business enterprises under the proposed Michigan Patriot Business Act. The MSF, MEDC, and DMVA would have to promote the decal program and the proposed Act on their websites.


Senate Bill 734 (S-1) would amend the Management and Budget Act to require the DMB to obtain from the MSF board and make available to State and Federal agencies and the public a current list of business enterprises designated as Michigan patriot businesses.


Proposed MCL 125.2079 (S.B. 733) Legislative Analyst: Patrick Affholter
MCL 18.1141 (S.B. 734)

FISCAL IMPACT
Senate Bill 732 (S-1) would require the Michigan Strategic Fund to create a new Michigan Qualified Business Enterprise Program similar to the Federal Center for Veterans Enterprise Program run by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. No fund source is identified in this bill to cover any costs associated with these additional responsibilities.


There are currently 786,700 veterans in this State, of whom 140,131 are veterans of the Persian Gulf War period that began August 2, 1990, and continues in effect. The bill would apply to the portion of these veterans who served specifically in Operation Iraqi Freedom or Operation Enduring Freedom. The total number of businesses owned by qualified veterans is unknown; however, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website lists 233 registered veteran-owned businesses in Michigan.


Senate Bill 733 would increase the costs of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the Michigan Strategic Fund, and the Department of Veterans Affairs by a minimal amount.


Senate Bill 734 (S-1) would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
Date Completed: 10-3-07 Fiscal Analyst: Joe Carrasco Elizabeth Pratt Maria Tyszkiewicz

Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb732-734/0708