Amendment #1368 to H4000

Small Business Ombudsperson Amendment

Ms. Fiola of Fall River moves to amend the bill by inserting after section 11 the following section:

SECTION 11A. Chapter 23A of the General Laws is hereby amended by adding the following section:-

Section 70. (a) There shall be a small business ombudsperson within the executive office of economic development to serve as a resource for small businesses within the commonwealth. The small business ombudsperson shall provide information and assistance, including, but not limited to, information related to any tariff policies, facilitate access to relevant programs and services, support businesses in navigating application and procurement processes and advise on policy changes that may impact small business operations, including, but not limited to, state and federal regulations related to small businesses, including changes to federal tariff policies.

(b) The ombudsperson shall coordinate and collaborate with MOBD established in section 1, the operational services division established in section 4L of chapter 7, the executive office of economic development’s Business Front Door program, the office of consumer affairs and business regulation established in section 1 of chapter 24A, the supplier diversity office established in section 58A of chapter 7 and any other relevant state agencies or entities to enhance support for small businesses.

(c)(1) The responsibilities of the ombudsperson shall include, but shall not be limited to, helping small business owners: (i) navigate state and local licensing, permitting and regulatory compliance requirements; (ii) navigate the public procurement process; (iii) access financial assistance programs, including, but not limited to, grants, loans and tax incentives available to small businesses; (iv) understand and respond to state and federal policy changes that impact small business operations, including, but not limited to, changes to federal tariff policies; (vi) connect with technical assistance providers, mentorship programs and business development resources; (vii) identify workforce development opportunities, training programs and hiring incentives; and (viii) understand and connect small businesses with resources to help them comply with labor, health and safety regulations applicable to small businesses.

(2) The ombudsperson shall prepare and make available or direct those seeking assistance to educational presentations, written materials and other resources relevant to small businesses and diverse suppliers. The presentations and materials shall include, but shall not be limited to, an explanation of: (i) commonly used business terms and acronyms; (ii) documentation and application requirements necessary to establish and register a business in the commonwealth; (iii) applicable fees and payment obligations related to business formation and licensing; (iv) step-by-step instructions on how to complete required administrative and procurement processes, including, but not limited to, responding to a request for proposal, bidding on state contracts and registering with the commonwealth’s procurement systems; (v) guidance on compliance with state and federal regulatory requirements; (vi) instructions on accessing financial assistance programs, including grants, loans and tax incentives; (vii) information on workforce development programs and employee training resources; (viii) guidance on navigating the certification processes for small and diverse businesses; (ix) best practices for business planning, financial recordkeeping and preparing for audits or regulatory reviews; and (x) any other information the ombudsperson determines necessary to assist in navigating changes to federal tariff policies.

(d) Annually, not later than January 1, the ombudsperson shall file a report on activities related to small businesses with the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate, the house and senate committees on ways and means, the joint committee on economic development and emerging technologies and the joint committee on financial services. For the purposes of the report, the words “small business” shall be as defined pursuant to: (i) applicable federal law; (ii) the supplier diversity office’s small business purchasing program; (iii) certified as a diverse or small business by the supplier diversity office; (iv) any other definition in the General Laws as determined by the ombudsperson. The report shall include, but shall not be limited to: (i) the number of requests received by the ombudsperson from small business owners; (ii) the types of requests received by the ombudsperson from small business owners; (iii) the types of actions made for requests received; (iv) number and type of requests related to changes to federal tariff policies; and(v) recommendations to improve the effectiveness of the position of small business ombudsperson.

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #1368 to H4000

Small Business Ombudsperson Amendment