SB-0040, As Passed Senate, February 9, 2017

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SENATE BILL No. 40

 

 

January 18, 2017, Introduced by Senator ZORN and referred to the Committee on Economic Development and International Investment.

 

 

     A bill to amend 1984 PA 270, entitled

 

"Michigan strategic fund act,"

 

by amending section 88r (MCL 125.2088r), as amended by 2014 PA 506.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 88r. (1) The fund shall create and operate the Michigan

 

business development program to provide grants, loans, and other

 

economic assistance to qualified businesses that make qualified

 

investments in this state or provide qualified new jobs in this

 

state.

 

     (2) The Michigan business development program shall provide

 

for all of the following:

 

     (a) Grants, loans, and other economic assistance to assist

 

qualified businesses in making qualified investments and providing

 

new jobs in this state, with preference given to qualified

 

businesses that need additional assistance for deal-closing and for

second stage company gap financing.

 

     (b) A detailed application, approval, and compliance process

 

published and available on the fund's website. The detailed

 

application, approval, and compliance process shall, must, at a

 

minimum, contain the following:

 

     (i) A qualified business may apply for a grant, loan, or other

 

economic assistance in a form and manner determined by the fund.

 

     (ii) After receipt of an application, the fund may enter into

 

a written agreement with the qualified business if the qualified

 

business agrees to make certain qualified investments or create a

 

certain number of new jobs in this state.

 

     (iii) The written agreement shall must provide in a clear and

 

concise manner all of the conditions imposed, including specific

 

time frames, on the qualified business to receive a grant, loan, or

 

other economic assistance under this section.

 

     (iv) The written agreement shall must provide for a repayment

 

provision of any grants, loans, or other economic assistance if the

 

qualified business fails to comply with the provisions of the

 

written agreement.

 

     (v) The written agreement shall must provide for an audit

 

provision that requires the fund to verify that established

 

milestones for the project have been met.

 

     (c) In any fiscal year, a qualified business shall not receive

 

more than $10,000,000.00 for a project funded under this section.

 

     (3) The fund shall not enter into a written agreement with a

 

qualified business unless all of the following are met:

 

     (a) The municipality makes a staff, financial, or economic

commitment to the project as determined by the fund.

 

     (b) The qualified business provides a business plan or

 

demonstrates the need for the grant, loan, or other economic

 

assistance.

 

     (c) The qualified business agrees to provide the data

 

described in the written agreement necessary for the fund to report

 

to the legislature under this act.

 

     (4) The fund shall post on its website or post on the website

 

of the Michigan economic development corporation the name and

 

location of each qualified business that received a grant, loan, or

 

other economic assistance awarded under this section and the amount

 

of the grant, loan, or other economic assistance.

 

     (5) Beginning February 1, 2012 and not less than every 3

 

months thereafter, the fund shall post on its internet website the

 

name and location of a qualified business that received approval of

 

a grant, loan, or other economic assistance under this section in

 

the immediately preceding 3-month period.

 

     (6) The legislature finds and declares that funding authorized

 

under this section to encourage diversification of the economy, to

 

encourage capital investment in this state, and to promote the

 

creation of qualified new jobs in this state is a public purpose

 

and of paramount concern in the interest of the health, safety, and

 

general welfare of the citizens of this state.

 

     (7) As used in this section:

 

     (a) "Other economic assistance" means any other form of

 

assistance allowed under this act that is not a grant or a loan.

 

     (b) "Qualified business" means a business that is located in

or operates in this state or will locate or will operate in this

 

state as determined by the fund. A qualified business may include

 

more than 1 business as determined by the fund board.

 

     (c) "Qualified investment" means investment in this state

 

related to a project subject to a written agreement under this

 

section.

 

     (d) "Qualified new job" means a job performed by an individual

 

who is a resident of this state whose Michigan income taxes are

 

withheld by an employer, or an employee leasing company or

 

professional employer organization on behalf of the employer, or an

 

individual who is not a resident of this state but is employed by a

 

business that is located in a county in this state that borders

 

another state or country and that individual works at a project

 

located in this state as described in a written agreement, that is

 

in excess of the number of jobs maintained by the qualified

 

business maintained in this state prior to the expansion or

 

location, as determined and verified by the fund.