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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | February 12, 2024 09:39 AM |
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| From: | Representative Joe Emrick and Rep. Joseph D'Orsie, Rep. Donna Scheuren, Rep. Mike Armanini, Rep. Marla Brown |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Main Street Entrepreneurship Initiative |
| Over the past several administrations, the Commonwealth’s economic development strategy has been focused on attracting high-profile, mega-projects for which other states are competing. While this approach has had some notable success, the focus on the headline-grabbing projects has not been able to fully reverse our economic fortune or grow our economy. Many of these mega-projects rely on taxpayer investment, which leads us into a bidding war with other states that we simply cannot win. And, when taxpayer support dries up, the communities face the risk of the facility departing for a new state which is simply more willing to spend taxpayer money to support it. The time has come to re-focus our economic development strategy on supporting entrepreneurship in Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth’s home-grown entrepreneurs are more likely to hire and retain their neighbors. And, as they become successful, they will be more likely to keep their operations in the state they call home. |
Document #1
Introduced as HR320
| Description: | Resolution #1 - Rep. Emrick This resolution designates February 10 through 17, 2024, as Commonwealth Entrepreneurship Week. In recognition of the essential role entrepreneurs play in the economy for both the nation and the Commonwealth, the week of February 10 through 17, 2024, will be declared Commonwealth Entrepreneurship Week in Pennsylvania. This designation will coincide with similar proclamations made by the federal government and National Entrepreneurship Week. |
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Document #2
| Description: | Bill #1 – Rep. D’Orsie This legislation provides for a waiver of business filing fees to provide relief for first-time entrepreneurs. New businesses in the Commonwealth are required to file a series of documents with the Department of State as part of the business formation process. To ease the financial burden of this registration requirement, this legislation would waive the filing fees for first-time entrepreneurs. |
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Document #3
| Description: | Bill #2 – Rep. Scheuren This legislation requires businesses that receive grants and loans from the Commonwealth to commit to staying in the Commonwealth. The General Assembly has established a number of grant and loan programs that are designed to assist businesses with financing, workforce and business development. Taxpayers that fund these programs expect their money to be used to support businesses that will thrive right here in Pennsylvania. This legislation will require these recipients to commit to maintaining operations and employees here in the Commonwealth as a condition of receiving the taxpayer-funded grants or loans. |
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Document #4
| Description: | Bill #3 – Rep. Arminini This legislation establishes a set-aside within the Commonwealth’s procurement process for entrepreneurs. The Commonwealth’s Procurement Code provides advantages to small and disadvantaged businesses, including targeted outreach and additional consideration during competitive procurements. The benefits are critical to support these businesses, but many of their benefits are received by established small and diverse businesses that are well-equipped to navigate the procurement process. This proposal would establish a set-aside within the existing program to specifically target small and disadvantaged businesses that were established within the prior three years. The benefits provided to these businesses will include additional assistance with navigating the procurement process and, where available, a specific set-aside of a portion of the procurement to be targeted to entrepreneurs. |
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Document #5
| Description: | Bill #4 - Rep.Emrick This legislation creates a new business ombudsman in the Department of Community and Economic Development. Starting a new business is hard enough without having to navigate obscure state requirements and frustrating instructions from state agencies. While established businesses can afford to hire accountants and lawyers to ensure compliance with the myriad state requirements, entrepreneurs should be focusing their available capital toward developing their production capacity or making payroll. This legislation will establish a startup ombudsman within the One-Stop Shop Office within Department of Community and Economic Development to assist startup business with securing the necessary documents and accounts necessary to operate a business in Pennsylvania, including obtaining the correct business registrations; identifying and applying for permits; and registering for the right online access for features like tax accounts. The ombudsman will also be tasked with identifying choke points and unnecessary requirements, and with submitting recommendations to the General Assembly to address the issues. |
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Document #6
| Description: | Bill #5 – Rep. Marla Brown This legislation bolsters entrepreneurship education for post-secondary students. Many college and university programs are structured based on the assumption that their graduates will enter the workforce as employees of exiting companies. This assumption shortchanges students who might use their newly acquired skills to start their own businesses. This legislation would establish a statewide program to fund entrepreneurship education at community colleges, the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, and colleges that provide technical training. Under this program, these post-secondary students will learn entrepreneurship skills they can use to build their own businesses after graduating. |
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Document #7
| Description: | Bill #6 – Rep. Sheuren This legislation provides for fair protections for entrepreneurs’ homes and assets in the Commonwealth. Entrepreneurship is a risky endeavor, and entrepreneurs risk not only the money they invested in the business but also their personal assets. Pennsylvania law currently provides a very limited series of protections for entrepreneurial business owners who file bankruptcy, exposing significant personal assets and property – including primary residence, vehicles, non-business bank accounts and household goods – to creditors. For example, no protections are provided for primary residences and the “wildcard” exemption is limited to $300. This legislation would modernize Pennsylvania's bankruptcy exemption statute to provide fair protections for entrepreneurs’ assets, including primary residences and other necessities of life. These reasonable safeguards for entrepreneurs will provide basic protections for them and their families, and encourage the kind of entrepreneurship the Commonwealth needs. |
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