(a) There is established within the Department of Economic and Community Development an Office of Small Business Affairs. Such office shall aid and encourage small business enterprises, particularly those owned and operated by minorities and other socially or economically disadvantaged individuals in Connecticut. As used in this section, “minority” means: (1) Black Americans, including all persons having origins in any of the Black African racial groups not of Hispanic origin; (2) Hispanic Americans, including all persons of Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Central or South American, or other Spanish culture or origin, regardless of race; (3) all persons having origins in the Iberian Peninsula, including Portugal, regardless of race; (4) women; (5) Asian Pacific Americans and Pacific islanders; or (6) American Indians and persons having origins in any of the original peoples of North America and maintaining identifiable tribal affiliations through membership and participation or community identification.
(b) Said Office of Small Business Affairs shall: (1) Administer at least one regional office of the small business development center program within the Department of Economic and Community Development; (2) coordinate, with the director of the small business development center program, the flow of information within the technical and management assistance program within the Department of Economic and Community Development; (3) encourage Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated to grant loans to small businesses, particularly those owned and operated by minorities and other socially or economically disadvantaged individuals; (4) coordinate and serve as a liaison between all federal, state, regional and municipal agencies and programs affecting small business affairs; (5) administer any business management training program established under section 32-352 or section 32-355 as the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development may determine; (6) provide a single point of contact for small businesses seeking financial and technical assistance from the state and quasi-public agencies; (7) coordinate all state funded revolving loan funds used to assist small businesses; and (8) establish, in cooperation with the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development, and within available appropriations, an informational web page with a list and links to all small business resources available and post them in a conspicuous place on the department's web site. The office shall update this information on its web site on at least a quarterly basis.
(c) On or after February 1, 2011, the Office of Small Business Affairs shall compile a summary of all small business activities and programs available and incorporate such summary into the report required pursuant to section 32-1m.
(P.A. 77-508, S. 1, 2; 77-614, S. 284, 587, 610; P.A. 78-303, S. 85, 136; P.A. 82-358, S. 4, 10; P.A. 87-577, S. 2; P.A. 94-152, S. 2, 3; P.A. 95-250, S. 1; P.A. 96-211, S. 1, 5, 6; P.A. 99-208, S. 7; 99-233, S. 3, 7; P.A. 10-145, S. 1; June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1, S. 152.)
History: P.A. 77-614 and P.A. 78-303 replaced department of commerce with department of economic development, effective January 1, 1979; P.A. 82-358 defined minority in Subsec. (a) and added reference to specific inclusion of minority business enterprises in set-aside program in Subsec. (b); P.A. 87-577 amended Subsec. (a)(2) by adding all persons having origins in the Iberian Peninsula, including Portugal; P.A. 94-152 transferred “all persons having origins in the Iberian Peninsula, including Portugal” from Subdiv. (2) to new Subdiv. (3) and renumbered former Subdivs. (3), (4) and (5) accordingly, effective July 1, 1994; P.A. 95-250 and P.A. 96-211 replaced Commissioner and Department of Economic Development with Commissioner and Department of Economic and Community Development; P.A. 99-208 added Subsec. (b)(6) re business management training programs; P.A. 99-233 deleted Subsec. (b)(1) re authority to administer the set-aside program and renumbering the remaining Subdivs. accordingly, effective June 29, 1999; P.A. 10-145 amended Subsec. (b) to require administration of at least one regional office within department in Subdiv. (1), to require coordination with director of small business development center program in Subdiv. (2), and to add Subdivs. (6), (7) and (8) re single point of contact, coordinating all state revolving loan funds and establishing web page, and added Subsec. (c) re annual report, effective June 7, 2010; pursuant to June 12 Sp. Sess. P.A. 12-1, “Connecticut Development Authority” was changed editorially by the Revisors to “Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated” in Subsec. (b), effective July 1, 2012.
Structure Connecticut General Statutes
Title 32 - Commerce and Economic and Community Development
Chapter 578 - Department of Economic and Community Development
Section 32-1a. - Short title: State Commerce Act.
Section 32-1b. - Department of Economic and Community Development established.
Section 32-1c. - Powers and duties of commissioner.
Section 32-1d. - Deputy commissioner, appointment and functions.
Section 32-1e. - Plan for support and promotion of industries using recycled materials.
Section 32-1n. - Reports re funding for economic and industry cluster initiatives.
Section 32-1o. - State economic strategic plan.
Section 32-1p. - Powers and duties re digital media and motion picture activities.
Section 32-1r. - Report on business tax credit and abatement programs.
Section 32-1s. - Powers and duties re culture and tourism.
Section 32-1v. - Small business hotline.
Section 32-2 and 32-2a. - Expenses; director. Bonding of commission members and employees.
Section 32-3. - Duties of department; Connecticut Innovations, Incorporated.
Section 32-4a. - Assistance to Connecticut Economic Resource Center, Incorporated.
Section 32-4b. - State Economic Development Advisory Board.
Section 32-4e. - “Economic cluster” defined.
Section 32-4g. - Economic cluster report by the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development.
Section 32-4h. - Economic cluster bond funds report.
Section 32-4i. - Learn Here, Live Here program.
Section 32-4j. - Connecticut first-time homebuyers account.
Section 32-4k. - Learn Here, Live Here program. Segregation of income taxes.
Section 32-4l. - First five plus program.
Section 32-4o. - Bond authorization for grants.
Section 32-4p. - Requests for proposals and competitive grant program re major projects.
Section 32-4r. - Youth Service Corps grant program.
Section 32-4s. - Local Youth Service Corps program requirements.
Section 32-5b. - Deadlines for approval or disapproval of applications for financial assistance.
Section 32-6. - Connecticut building at Eastern States Exposition.
Section 32-6h. - One-stop business licensing center.
Section 32-6i. - Connecticut Economic Information System Steering Committee.
Section 32-6j. - Assistance of Labor Commissioner in job-training activities.
Section 32-6k. - Impact statements submitted to the Connecticut Transportation Strategy Board.
Section 32-6m. - Promotion of products produced in Connecticut.
Section 32-6n. - Electronic business portal.
Section 32-6u. - Connecticut antiques trail. Promotional program.
Section 32-6w. - Display of temporary signage or flags by business on Connecticut antiques trail.
Section 32-7e. - Regional Economic Development Assistance Revolving Fund.
Section 32-7f. - Economic development grants program.
Section 32-7g. - Small Business Express program.
Section 32-7h. - Small business express assistance account.
Section 32-7n. - Manufacturing Innovation Advisory Board.
Section 32-7p. - Technology Talent Advisory Committee. Membership. Duties. Pilot programs. Report.
Section 32-7q. - Minority Business Initiative Advisory Board. Duties. Membership.
Section 32-7r. - Regional economic development matching grant pilot program.
Section 32-8. - Administration of federal funds.
Section 32-8a. - Registry of electronic commerce and information technology intensive companies.
Section 32-8b. - Cooperative internship program.
Section 32-8c. - Connecticut Young Adult Conservation Corps program. Set-asides. Reports.
Section 32-9. - Right of local redevelopment agencies to contract with federal government.
Section 32-9aa and 32-9bb. - Loans for the repair of dams. Regulations.
Section 32-9c. - Transfer of powers and duties of the Connecticut Development Commission.
Section 32-9d. - Transfer of personnel and properties.
Section 32-9dd. - Transfer of remediated brownfields.
Section 32-9i. - Job incentive grant program for businesses in areas of high unemployment.
Section 32-9k. - Business facilities qualified for job incentive grants.
Section 32-9l. - Determination of grant amounts. Regulations.
Section 32-9n. - Office of Small Business Affairs.
Section 32-9o. - Industrial growth in areas of high unemployment. Legislative determination.
Section 32-9qq. - Business outreach center challenge grants. Eligibility of greenways projects.
Section 32-9tt. - Funding for businesses new to exporting.
Section 32-9u. - Use of North American Industrial Classification codes.
Section 32-9uu. - Program to increase entrepreneurial potential in the inner cities.
Section 32-9vv. - Connecticut Hydrogen-Fuel Cell Coalition.
Section 32-9w. - Evaluation of impact of development project on the environment. Procedure.
Section 32-9ww. - Fuel cell economic development plan. Reports.
Section 32-9xx. - Small Business Advisory Board.
Section 32-9yy. - Connecticut Credit Consortium. Small business assistance account.