ARIZONA HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Fifty-fifth Legislature

First Regular Session

 

HB 2282: small business assistance grants

Sponsor:  Representative Lieberman, LD 28

Committee on Commerce

Overview

Creates the Small Business Assistance Grant Fund (Fund) to provide grants to small business that closed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

History

According to JLBC, the Executive plans on allocating monies to state agency-relating programs as a response to COVID-19. Within the total allocation of monies, $11 million is from the Crisis Contingency and Safety Net Fund (CCSNF) for economic assistance to small businesses and local chamber of commerce.  An additional $1 million from the CCSNF has been given to assist bars and restaurants in expanding their outdoor dining spaces (Baseline Book – ACA).

Provisions

Small Business Assistance Grant Fund (Sec. 1)

1.   ☐ Prop 105 (45 votes) ☐ Prop 108 (40 votes) ☐ Emergency (40 votes) ☐ Fiscal NoteEstablishes the Fund to provide grants to eligible small business that closed due to the COVID-19 Pandemic.

a)   Specifies the Fund is administered by the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) and monies are continuously appropriated.

2.   Allows the following individuals and entities to apply to the ACA for a grant:

a)   Sole proprietor;

b)   Independent contractor;

c)   self-employed who regularly carries on any trade or business;

d)   tribal small business; and

e)   cooperative and employee owned business.

3.   Directs the ACA to award grants in the amount of $5,000 and to allocate at least 30% of Fund monies to small businesses located in counties with a population of less than 900,000.

4.   Requires small businesses to apply prior to an unspecified date and outlines the contents of the application.

5.   Instructs the ACA to review the applications prior to an unspecified date and specifies priority of grant awards.

6.   Permits the ACA to extend the application deadline to allow additional business to apply if Fund monies remain after the date of the initial application deadline.

7.   Outlines entities not eligible for a grant.

8.   Exempts small business grants from statutory requirements relating to solicitation and award of grants.

9.   Defines small business.

Appropriation (Sec. 4)

10.  Appropriates $20 million from the Crisis Contingency and Safety Net Fund in FY 2021-22 to the Fund to provide financial relief to small businesses that closed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic so that those small businesses can reopen.

11.  Exempts monies from lapsing of appropriation. 

Miscellaneous

12.  Exempts the ACA from rule making for one year. (Sec. 2)

13.  Contains a legislative intent clause. (Sec. 3)

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17.                    HB 2282

18.  Initials PRB           Page 0 Commerce

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