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:

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

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

     42-132-3. Organization and responsibilities.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

assembly for approval;

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

chapter;

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

agencies to issue the licenses.

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

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

a plan for an automated master application system.

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

have the following responsibilities:

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

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

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

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

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

requirements, or agency rule;

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

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

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

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

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

with other requirements; and

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

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

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

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

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

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

pursuant to this chapter.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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