S-642                 _______________________________________________

                                                   SENATE BILL NO. 3609

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                              49th Legislature                              1985 Regular Session

By Senators McManus, Moore, Bailey, Vognild, Talmadge, Goltz, DeJarnatt, Garrett, Fleming and Metcalf

Read first time 2/5/85 and referred to Committee on Commerce and Labor.

AN ACT Relating to small business assistance centers; adding new sections to chapter 28B.30 RCW; and making an appropriation.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1.     Sections 2 through 3 of this act shall be known and may be cited as the small business training assistance act.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 2.     (1) The purpose of sections 2 through 3 of this act is to establish a state-wide network of community college-based small business assistance centers under the coordination of Washington State University.

          (2) The legislature finds that it is in the state's interest to help small businesses develop and improve skills in such areas as marketing, management, and capital formation through a network of small business assistance centers because:

          (a) Small business employers create the most significant number of the new jobs in this state and are vital to the state's long-term economic recovery;

          (b) Community colleges present the possibility of a state-wide network able to link small business with college resources, expert resource people in the business community, and other training resources throughout the state; and

          (c) While many factors affect the vitality of small business, it is necessary to provide training assistance in a form and at a location directly related to the needs of specific small businesses.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3.     (1) Application's for state funding to assist in the formation and improvement of small business assistance centers shall be prepared by Washington State University  in cooperation with the appropriate community college.  The application shall include:

          (a) Evidence of the potential demand for assistance;

          (b) Plans for involving other training resources and expert resource people from the business community in the program;

          (c) An outline of training options to be available, including time of day, length of training, training location, and other considerations important to the small business community;

          (d) A budget for the year for which an application is requested; and

          (e) A plan for evaluating the effect of the program on small business clients served.

          (2) The applications made under subsection (1) of this section are to be used by the university to contract with individual community colleges, upon funding by the legislature, to:

          (a) Provide funds for small business assistance center staff and support staff;

          (b) Provide funds to retain expert resource persons from the business community;

          (c) Provide funds to retain other training resources as necessary to enhance the training capability of the centers in certain skill areas or areas of the state; and

          (d) Provide funds for other costs related to operation of the centers and provision of training to small business clients.

          (3) The applications and the proposed contract for services shall be submitted to the legislature by Washington State University each biennium to secure funding from the state general fund.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 4.     Sections 1 through 3 of this act are each added to chapter 28B.30 RCW.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 5.     There is hereby appropriated from the general fund to Washington State University for the biennium ending June 30, 1987, the sum of one hundred thousand dollars for the purposes of carrying out this act.