Indiana Code
Chapter 17. Small Business Development
5-28-17-6. Small Business Ombudsman

Sec. 6. The corporation shall act as the small business ombudsman. The small business ombudsman shall carry out the following duties:
(1) Work with state agencies to permit increased enforcement flexibility and the ability to grant common sense exemptions for first time offenders of state rules and policies, including, notwithstanding any other law, policies for the compromise of interest and penalties related to a listed tax (as defined in IC 6-8.1-1-1) and other taxes and fees collected or administered by a state agency.
(2) Work with state agencies to seek ways to consolidate forms and eliminate the duplication of paperwork, harmonize data, and coordinate due dates.
(3) Coordinate with OMB (as defined in IC 4-3-22-3) to perform cost benefit analyses.
(4) Work with state agencies to monitor any outdated, ineffective, or overly burdensome information requests from state agencies to small businesses.
(5) Carry out the duties specified under IC 4-22-2-28 and IC 4-22-2.1 to review proposed rules and participate in rulemaking actions that affect small businesses.
(6) Coordinate with the ombudsman designated under IC 13-28-3-2 and the office of voluntary compliance established by IC 13-28-1-1 to coordinate the provision of services required under IC 4-22-2-28.1 and IC 13-28-3.
(7) Prepare written and electronic information for periodic distribution to small businesses describing the small business services provided by coordinators (as defined in IC 4-22-2-28.1(b)) and work with the office of technology established by IC 4-13.1-2-1 to place information concerning the availability of these services on state Internet web sites that the small business ombudsman or a state agency determines are most likely to be visited by small business owners and managers.
(8) Assist in training agency coordinators who will be assigned to rules under IC 4-22-2-28.1(e).
(9) Investigate and attempt to resolve any matter regarding compliance by a small business with a law, rule, or policy administered by a state agency, either as a party to a proceeding or as a mediator.
State agencies shall cooperate with the small business ombudsman to carry out the purpose of this section. The department of state revenue and the department of workforce development shall establish a program to distribute the information described in subdivision (7) to small businesses that are required to file returns or information with these state agencies.
As added by P.L.237-2017, SEC.25. Amended by P.L.130-2018, SEC.17; P.L.197-2021, SEC.8.

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