2022 -- H 7823

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LC004933

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- BUSINESS FAST-START

OFFICE

     

     Introduced By: Representatives McEntee, Caldwell, Cortvriend, Speakman, and Carson

     Date Introduced: March 03, 2022

     Referred To: House Small Business

     (Secretary of State)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 42-132-3 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-132 entitled "Business

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Fast-Start Office" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     42-132-3. Organization and responsibilities.

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     (a) There is hereby established, within the secretary of state's first stop business information

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center, a business fast-start office ("Fast-Start Office") which shall be under the direction of the

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director or other full-time state employee as appointed by the secretary of state. Additional staff

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sufficient to perform the duties of the fast-start office shall be provided under the direction of the

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secretary of state from the personnel currently assigned to the office of the secretary of state.

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Nothing in this section shall be construed to explicitly or implicitly permit the hiring of any

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additional personnel to perform the duties and responsibilities designated in this section. As a

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clearing house for state business licensing, the fast-start office will:

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     (1) Work in conjunction with the office to establish a license information service detailing

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requirements for establishing and engaging in business in this state, including state licensing and

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regulatory requirements. The fast-start office in later phases of its program will, to the extent

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feasible, extend its service to include local and federal requirements.

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     (2) Develop recommendations Regularly convene business owners in this state to gather

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recommendations for the elimination, consolidation, simplification and/or expediting of business

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licenses, or otherwise improving licensing procedures affecting business undertakings. These

 

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recommendations, with the approval of the secretary of state, will be submitted to the general

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assembly for approval;

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     (3) Promulgate and adopt rules and regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of this

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chapter;

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     (4) Develop an operating plan for an automated master application system;

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     (5) Determine the software and hardware needs of the system;

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     (6) Determine staffing levels and space required for the system.

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     (b) State agencies that issue business licenses shall assist and cooperate in the development

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and implementation of the plan as required by the fast-start office. In making the determination and

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developing an operating plan for an automated master application system, the fast-start office shall

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identify the business licenses appropriate for inclusion in a master application system and shall

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develop a master application form that consolidates the information needed for the various state

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agencies to issue the licenses.

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     (c) Each state agency that issues licenses shall cooperate fully with the fast-start office in

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providing information on the licenses and regulatory requirements of the agency and in developing

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a plan for an automated master application system.

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     (d) Each state agency shall designate a business license coordinator. The coordinator shall

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have the following responsibilities:

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     (1) Provide to the fast-start office the most recent application and supplemental forms

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required for each license issued by the agency, the most recent information available on existing

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and proposed changes in license requirements or agency rules and how those changes will affect

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the business community, and agency publications that would be of aid or interest to the business

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community, within thirty (30) days of publishing the supplemental forms, updated license

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requirements, or agency rule;

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     (2) Receive and respond to communications from the fast-start office; and

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     (3) Review state agency regulatory and license requirements and provide a written report

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to the fast-start office no later than January 1, 2002, and every two (2) years thereafter that:

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     (i) Identifies the regulatory and licensing requirements that affect the business community;

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     (ii) Indicates which, if any, requirements should be eliminated, modified, or consolidated

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with other requirements; and

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     (iii) Explains the need for continuing those requirements not recommended for elimination.

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     (e) The fast-start office, with the approval of the secretary of state, shall submit a report

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annually to the governor and general assembly identifying state agencies which have failed to

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perform their duties as outlined by this chapter.

 

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- BUSINESS FAST-START

OFFICE

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     This act would require the fast-start office to regularly convene business owners in the state

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to gather recommendations to improve business licensing procedures and would require an annual

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report to the governor and general assembly regarding state agencies who fail to perform duties

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pursuant to this chapter.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC004933

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