A. Funding of professional staff must be provided by the department from resources made available to the Office of Business Development for personal services.

B. The department shall provide clerical support as required by the commission.

Sec. 4. 5 MRSA §13035, first ¶, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 875, Pt. L, §§2 and 4, is amended to read:

The commission is responsible for overseeing the Small Business Development Center Program, enforcing the contract between the Finance Authority of Maine department and the administrative unit, and providing funds to the program, and advising the commissioner on strengthening the support infrastructure for entrepreneurship in the State. The commission has the following duties.

Sec. 5. 5 MRSA §13035, sub-§§2 and 3, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 875, Pt. L, §§2 and 4, are amended to read:

2. Review, evaluate and make recommendations to coordinate programs. The commission shall review and, evaluate the and make recommendations to coordinate small business assistance and entrepreneurial programs of the department as provided in section 13058, subsection 5 statewide. The commission shall issue a report that meets the standards defined in section 13058, subsection 5. The commission shall advise the commissioner to help develop and implement statewide strategies and policies as they relate to encouraging economic development by developing and growing entrepreneurial businesses around the State.

3. Advise and make recommendations. The commission shall advise the commissioner, the Governor and the Legislature with respect to the results of its evaluation of small business and entrepreneurial programs and its oversight and enforcement of the contract with the administrative unit.

SUMMARY

This bill requires the Maine Small Business Commission to evaluate entrepreneurial programs as part of their duties and requires the commission to advise the Commissioner of Economic and Community Development to assist in developing and

implementing statewide strategies and policies as they relate to encouraging economic development by developing entrepreneurial businesses around the State. The bill also changes the number of members of the commission from 3 to 7.