1.1 	A bill for an act
1.2 	relating to economic development; appropriating money for entrepreneurial 
1.3 	development; requiring reports.
1.4 	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MINNESOTA:

1.5 	Section 1. ASSISTANCE TO ENTREPRENEURS; APPROPRIATION.
 1.6 	(a) $360,000 in fiscal year 2016 and $360,000 in fiscal year 2017 are appropriated 
1.7 	from the general fund to the commissioner of employment and economic development for 
1.8 	a grant to the small business development center hosted at Minnesota State University, 
1.9 	Mankato, for a collaborative initiative with the Regional Center for Entrepreneurial 
1.10 	Facilitation. Funds available under this section must be used to provide entrepreneur 
1.11 	and small business development direct professional business assistance services in the 
1.12 	following counties in Minnesota: Blue Earth, Brown, Faribault, Le Sueur, Martin, Nicollet, 
1.13 	Sibley, Watonwan, and Waseca.  For the purposes of this section, "direct professional 
1.14 	business assistance services" must include, but is not limited to pre-venture assistance for 
1.15 	individuals considering starting a business. This appropriation is not available until the 
1.16 	commissioner determines that an equal amount is committed from nonstate sources. Any 
1.17 	balance in the first year does not cancel and is available for expenditure in the second year.
1.18 	(b) Grant recipients shall report to the commissioner by February 1 of each year and 
1.19 	include information on the number of customers served in each county; the number of 
1.20 	businesses started, stabilized, or expanded; the number of jobs created and retained; 
1.21 	and business success rates in each county. By April 1 of each year, the commissioner 
1.22 	shall report the information submitted by grant recipients to the chairs of the standing 
1.23 	committees of the house of representatives and the senate having jurisdiction over 
1.24 	economic development issues.