PRINTER'S NO. 469
No. 459 Session of 1999
INTRODUCED BY SCHWARTZ, MELLOW, COSTA, O'PAKE, WAUGH, STOUT,
BELAN AND BOSCOLA, FEBRUARY 24, 1999
REFERRED TO COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT,
FEBRUARY 24, 1999
AN ACT
1 Authorizing grants to certain regional business partnerships;
2 providing for the powers and duties of the Department of
3 Community and Economic Development; and making an
4 appropriation.
5 The General Assembly finds and declares as follows:
6 (1) This commonwealth is comprised of a series of
7 regional and subregional economies with core assets and
8 competencies of their own.
9 (2) Coordinated regional economic development planning
10 and programs can be highly effective in leading to business
11 growth and job creation.
12 (3) Particular regions due to their economic assets,
13 industrial infrastructure or geographic location have
14 opportunities to promote regional economic development by
15 targeting resources and services to strategically important
16 industries.
17 (4) Some regions have already undertaken strategic
18 industrial opportunity analysis which analysis is a blueprint
1 for growth and the nurturing of high potential industries.
2 (5) The Commonwealth should be a partner in the growth
3 of such local effort.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Short title.
7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Regional
8 Business Partnership Act.
9 Section 2. Definitions.
10 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
11 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12 context clearly indicates otherwise:
13 "Department." The Department of Community and Economic
14 Development of the Commonwealth.
15 "Regional business partnership." An organization, within a
16 specified geographic region, consisting of at least six private
17 companies and at least two other entities from among the
18 following: a local government agency, a local economic
19 development agency, a regional Ben Franklin technology center or
20 industrial resource center, a small business development center
21 or a community college.
22 Section 3. Grants.
23 (a) General rule.--The department shall provide grants to
24 regional business partnerships. Regional business partnerships
25 shall use the grants to provide resources and services to
26 promote the development of strategically important industries
27 and to support businesses within the region which through joint
28 efforts may:
29 (1) Become more competitive.
30 (2) Develop means for expansion of current businesses.
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1 (3) Create opportunity for new business growth.
2 (b) Uses of grants.--The resources and services for which
3 the grants may be used include, but are not limited to:
4 (1) Work force development and employee training
5 programs.
6 (2) Technology infrastructure, capacity and deployment.
7 (3) Development or enhancement of equipment or
8 facilities.
9 (4) Common business activities, including marketing,
10 purchasing, transportation and warehousing.
11 Section 4. Eligibility for grants.
12 To be eligible for grants under this act, a regional business
13 partnership must:
14 (1) Complete and submit to the department a regional
15 economic development plan that:
16 (i) Identifies strategically important industries,
17 multifirm activities or investments that will improve the
18 competitive standing of regional businesses, or multifirm
19 activities or investments that will assist regional
20 businesses.
21 (ii) Sets priorities and strategies for future
22 economic development.
23 (iii) Supports businesses within the region which
24 through joint efforts become more competitive.
25 (iv) Develops means for expansion of current
26 businesses.
27 (v) Creates opportunity for new business growth
28 investments.
29 (vi) Establishes clear goals for activities to be
30 supported with grant funds.
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1 (2) Demonstrate broad community support for the planned
2 activities of the regional business partnership.
3 (3) Present a plan for evaluating those activities to be
4 supported by grant funds.
5 (4) Demonstrate how the regional business partnership's
6 activities will be supported after grant funds are no longer
7 available.
8 Section 5. Rules and regulations.
9 The department shall promulgate any rules or regulations
10 necessary for the implementation of this act.
11 Section 6. Appropriation.
12 The sum of $5,000,000 is hereby appropriated to the
13 Department of Community and Economic Development for the
14 issuance of grants under this act for the fiscal year beginning
15 July 1, 1999.
16 Section 7. Effective date.
17 This act shall take effect as follows:
18 (1) Section 6 shall take effect July 1, 1999.
19 (2) The remainder of this act shall take effect
20 immediately.
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