88R14542 LRM-D     By: Harris of Williamson H.B. No. 4934       A BILL TO BE ENTITLED   AN ACT   relating to support for new businesses.          BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:          SECTION 1.  Subchapter B, Chapter 405, Government Code, is   amended by adding Section 405.025 to read as follows:          Sec. 405.025.  ELIMINATION OF FIRST YEAR BUSINESS ENTITY   FEES. The secretary of state shall, in coordination with   appropriate state and local governmental entities, work to   eliminate all fees relating to licensing and registration required   to be paid by a business entity in the entity's first year of   business, to the extent authorized by law.          SECTION 2.  Subchapter E, Chapter 481, Government Code, is   amended by adding Section 481.081 to read as follows:          Sec. 481.081.  SUPPORT FOR NEW BUSINESS ORGANIZATIONS. To   the extent possible, the office shall encourage the appropriate   state entities to allocate at least five percent of funding   budgeted for economic development programs, including community   development block grants, to support businesses that:                (1)  were established within the previous five years;   and                (2)  have a principal place of business in this state.          SECTION 3.  Subchapter B, Chapter 2155, Government Code, is   amended by adding Section 2155.0735 to read as follows:          Sec. 2155.0735.  PARTICIPATION BY NEW BUSINESSES IN STATE   PURCHASING. (a) In this section, "new business" means a business   in operation for less than five years with its principal place of   business in this state.          (b)  The comptroller shall make reasonable efforts to   increase the number of contracts for the purchase of goods or   services awarded by state agencies to new businesses to at least   five percent of awarded contracts in a state fiscal year.          SECTION 4.  Subchapter B, Chapter 2155, Government Code, is   amended by adding Section 2155.092 to read as follows:          Sec. 2155.092.  REPORTING CONTRACTS WITH NEW BUSINESS. (a)   In this section, "new business" means a business that has been in   operation for less than five years and has its principal place of   business in this state.          (b)  Not later than September 1 of each year, the comptroller   shall file a report with the legislature that identifies:                (1)  the number of state contracts awarded to new   businesses during the previous year;                (2)  the dollar value of all state contracts awarded to   new businesses during the previous year;                (3)  the number of state contracts awarded to new   businesses that qualify as a historically underutilized business,   as defined by Section 2161.001, during the previous year;                (4)  the geographic area of the state, including the   city and county, where each new business awarded a state contract in   the previous year is located;                (5)  the percentage of all state contracts awarded to   new businesses during the previous year; and                (6)  the percentage of the total dollar value of all   state contracts awarded to new businesses during the previous year.          (c)  As part of the report required by Subsection (b) that   must be filed before September 1, 2024, the comptroller, in   conjunction with the Texas Economic Development and Tourism Office   within the office of the governor, shall make recommendations to   improve access by new businesses to state contracting, including   new businesses owned by statistically underrepresented demographic   groups and in statistically underrepresented geographic areas of   the state. This subsection expires January 1, 2025.          SECTION 5.  Subchapter D, Chapter 301, Labor Code, is   amended by adding Section 301.0701 to read as follows:          Sec. 301.0701.  ANNUAL REPORT ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT. Not   later than September 1 each year, the commission shall submit a   report to the legislature on economic development in this state.     The report must include:                (1)  the proportion of economic development funding,   including community development block grants, that supports   programs for:                      (A)  an individual who started a new business   within the preceding five years; or                      (B)  organizations that provide services to   individuals described by Paragraph A; and                (2)  the total amount of economic development funding   provided to programs described by Subdivision (1).          SECTION 6.  Subchapter A, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is   amended by adding Section 302.00215 to read as follows:          Sec. 302.00215.  ANNUAL WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT FUNDING   REPORT. Not later than September 1 of each year, the commission   shall prepare and submit to the legislature a report on workforce   development funding. The report must include information on the   total amount of funding allocated by the division and any local   workforce development boards, and the percentage of all workforce   development funding that total represents, to support   organizations, services, and programs for:                (1)  individuals starting a new business; and                (2)  businesses established in the preceding five years   whose primary place of business is in this state.           SECTION 7.  Subchapter D, Chapter 302, Labor Code, is   amended by adding Section 302.0615 to read as follows:          Sec. 302.0615.  ALLOCATION OF FUNDS TO SUPPORT NEW   BUSINESSES. Unless superseded by federal law and notwithstanding   any other provision of this subchapter or other law, the commission   shall make reasonable efforts to ensure that at least five percent   of workforce development funds allocated by the commission in a   state fiscal year, including any funds distributed by local   workforce development boards, are used to support programs or   organizations that provide support to:                (1)  persons establishing a business in this state; or                (2)  businesses that:                      (A)  have been in operation for less than five   years; and                      (B)  have their principal place of business in   this state.          SECTION 8.  Not later than September 1, 2024, the Texas   Workforce Commission shall prepare and submit the first annual   report required by Section 302.00215, Labor Code, as added by this   Act.          SECTION 9.  This Act takes effect September 1, 2023.