BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT ASSISTANCE CENTER
560.41
560.41
Definitions. In this subchapter:
560.41(1)
(1) "Brownfields" means abandoned, idle or underused industrial or commercial facilities or sites, the expansion or redevelopment of which is adversely affected by actual or perceived environmental contamination.
560.41(1m)
(1m) "Center" means the business development assistance center in the department.
560.41(2)
(2) "Permit" means any approval of a regulatory agency required as a condition of operating a business in this state.
560.41(3)
(3) "Regulatory agency" means any state agency responsible for granting a permit.
560.42
560.42
Responsibilities related to permits. 560.42(1)(a)(a) The center shall expedite the process of applying for permits, of reviewing and making determinations on permit applications and of issuing permits as follows:
560.42(1)(a)1.
1. The center shall discharge its responsibilities under
sub. (2) in a manner designed to expedite the process.
560.42(1)(a)2.
2. Upon request by a person applying for a permit and to the extent possible, the center shall resolve misunderstandings between the person and the appropriate regulatory agency and shall prevent or mitigate delays in the process.
560.42(1)(a)3.
3. If the center determines that it is unable to resolve misunderstandings or prevent or mitigate delays under
subd. 2., the center shall request the assistance of the secretary and the head of the appropriate regulatory agency.
560.42(1)(a)4.
4. If the center determines that the secretary and head of the appropriate regulatory agency are unable to resolve misunderstandings or prevent or mitigate delays under
subd. 3., the center shall request the assistance of the governor.
560.42(1)(b)
(b) The center shall give priority to businesses new to this state and to businesses expanding within this state in providing assistance under
par. (a).
560.42(1)(c)
(c) The center shall maintain records identifying each person requesting assistance under
par. (a) and setting forth assistance rendered and results achieved.
560.42(2)(a)(a) The center shall assist any person requesting information on which permits are required for a particular business activity or on the application process, including criteria applied in making a determination on a permit application and the time period within which a determination will be made. This assistance may include any of the following:
560.42(2)(a)1.
1. Arranging a meeting between the person and the staff of the appropriate regulatory agency to enable the person to obtain information from the agency.
560.42(2)(a)2.
2. Obtaining information and permit applications from the regulatory agency and providing the information and appropriate permit applications to the person.
560.42(2)(b)
(b) If a person receives assistance under this subsection and applies for a permit and if the person requests, the center shall monitor the status of the permit application and periodically report the status to the person.
560.42(2m)
(2m) Advocacy. The center shall provide advocacy services before regulatory agencies on behalf of permit applicants. These services shall include all of the following:
560.42(2m)(a)
(a) Monitoring the application approval process to ensure that permits are granted in the shortest amount of time possible consistent with the substantive requirements established by rule or law.
560.42(2m)(b)
(b) Advocating legislative changes to improve and expedite the issuance of permits.
560.42(2r)
(2r) Mediation and dispute resolution services. The center may provide mediation or other dispute resolution services to facilitate the resolution of a dispute between a regulatory agency and a person applying for a permit. The provision of mediation or other dispute resolution services under this subsection does not affect any right that the person may have to a contested hearing under
ch. 227.
560.42(3)(a)(a) The center may charge for services provided under this subchapter. Any amount charged for services may not exceed the actual cost of the service provided, unless a specific charge for the service, or method of calculating the charge, is provided by law. All amounts received under this paragraph shall be deposited in the appropriation account under
s. 20.143 (1) (gc).
560.42(3)(b)
(b) The center may refer to the appropriate regulatory agency, without giving further assistance, any person seeking information or assistance on a permit under
chs. 186,
215,
217,
220 to
224,
440 to
480 and
600 to
646.
560.42(3)(c)
(c) Advice, assistance, mediation or other dispute resolution services or information rendered by the center under this subchapter does not relieve any person from the obligation to secure a required permit or satisfy a regulatory requirement.
560.42(3)(d)
(d) The center shall not be liable for any consequences resulting from the failure of a regulatory agency to issue, or the failure of a person to seek, a permit.
560.42(4)(a)(a) The center shall maintain and publicize the availability of a toll-free telephone line available to in-state and out-of-state callers to the center.
560.42(4)(b)
(b) The center shall seek to explain, promote and publicize its services to the public and shall provide information on its services for inclusion in any public informational material on permits provided by regulatory agencies.
560.42(4)(c)
(c) The center shall, in its efforts under
pars. (a) and
(b), clearly represent that its services are advisory, informational and facilitative only.
560.42(5)
(5) Report. Beginning in 2003 and biennially thereafter, the center shall prepare a report describing its activities under this section since the period covered in the previous report. The department shall submit the report with the report required under
s. 560.55. The report may include recommendations for the legislature, governor, public records board, and regulatory agencies on simplifying the process of applying for permits, of reviewing and making determinations on permit applications, and of issuing permits, and shall include information on the number of requests for assistance, the types of assistance provided, and the center's success in resolving conflicts in permit application and review processes.
560.43
560.43
Responsibilities of regulatory agencies. 560.43(1)(1)
Interagency cooperation. Each regulatory agency shall:
560.43(1)(a)
(a) Designate a staff person to coordinate regulatory agency cooperation with center staff, provide information to center staff on the permit process and direct center staff to appropriate staff within the regulatory agency.
560.43(1)(b)
(b) Cooperate with center staff and respond promptly to requests for assistance in expediting and requests for information on the permit process under
s. 560.42.
560.43(1)(c)
(c) Include material provided by the center under
s. 560.42 (4) in any public informational material on permits that it provides.
560.43(1)(d)
(d) Maintain responsibility for interpreting the requirements of and granting or denying its permits.
560.43(1)(e)
(e) In reviewing a submitted application for a permit, notify the applicant of all reasons the application is incomplete or incorrectly submitted at the first time the agency returns the application to the applicant.
560.43(1)(f)
(f) Periodically review and, if appropriate, revise its administrative rules and its permit applications to simplify and expedite the processing of permit applications.
560.43(1)(g)
(g) Provide to the center written notification of a change to a permit, along with a copy of the new or revised permit, before the effective date of the change.
560.43(2)
(2) Preapplication meetings. Each regulatory agency shall provide an opportunity for a preapplication meeting with its staff to any person interested in applying for a permit upon request by the person or the center, and shall comply with the following requirements:
560.43(2)(a)
(a) The regulatory agency shall conduct preapplication meetings in an informal manner.
560.43(2)(b)
(b) In any preapplication meeting, the regulatory agency shall identify all permits required by the regulating agency for a business activity, describe the steps and identify the time period for each step in the permit process and identify potential problems in the process.
560.43(2)(d)
(d) The regulatory agency shall invite participation by center staff in preapplication meetings when appropriate.
560.43(2)(e)
(e) The regulatory agency shall publicize the availability of preapplication meetings to persons contacting them about permits.
560.44
560.44
Responsibilities related to brownfields redevelopment projects. 560.44(1)(1)
Ombudsman. The center shall act as an ombudsman for brownfields redevelopment projects. As ombudsman, the center shall do all of the following:
560.44(1)(a)
(a) Promote brownfields redevelopment projects and related educational efforts.
560.44(1)(b)
(b) Coordinate interagency activities and responsibilities related to brownfields redevelopment projects.
560.44(1)(c)
(c) Coordinate, with the department of workforce development, training programs or activities for unemployed persons who reside in the vicinity of a brownfields redevelopment project.
560.44(2)
(2) Administration of brownfields programs. The center shall assist in administering the grant program under
s. 560.13 and in administering grants and loans under
s. 560.138 that are made for brownfields remediation projects.
560.44 History
History: 1997 a. 27;
2001 a. 16.
ENTREPRENEURIAL ASSISTANCE NETWORKS
Subch. IV of ch. 560 Note
NOTE: 1987 Wisconsin Act 320, which created subchapter IV, contains a prefatory note explaining the Act.
560.51
560.51
Definitions. As used in this subchapter:
560.51(2)
(2) "Entrepreneurial assistance program" means a program that directly or indirectly assists an entrepreneur who is starting a business which has significant growth potential, as evidenced by the potential ability to attract and receive venture capital financing, by doing any of the following:
560.51(2)(a)
(a) Educating the entrepreneur about starting a business.
560.51(2)(b)
(b) Evaluating the business' proposed product or service.
560.51(2)(c)
(c) Preparing a business plan acceptable to investors.
560.51(2)(f)
(f) Providing ongoing managerial assistance and monitoring compliance with the business plan after the start-up of the business.
560.51(3)
(3) "Intermediary" means either a person who provides continuing assistance or services to an entrepreneur who is starting a business with significant growth potential, as evidenced by the potential ability to attract and receive venture capital financing, or a consultant who works with such an entrepreneur on a specific task, such as market evaluation, manufacturing techniques or product design.
560.51(4)
(4) "Intermediary assistance program" means a program that directly or indirectly trains or assists an intermediary in developing or using skills necessary to serve an entrepreneur.
560.51(5)
(5) "Metropolitan area" means an urban area and surrounding territory in this state that includes at least one city or village with a population of 25,000 or more.
560.51(6)
(6) "Network" means an organized arrangement for exchanging materials, information and services among entrepreneurs, intermediaries, institutional venture capital investors, other venture capital investors and persons who assist entrepreneurs, intermediaries or venture capital investors.
560.51 History
History: 1987 a. 320.
560.52
560.52
Existing entrepreneurial assistance programs. 560.52(1)(1)
Inventory. The department shall prepare and periodically revise an inventory of existing entrepreneurial assistance programs offered in this state. In preparing the inventory, the department may do any of the following:
560.52(1)(a)
(a) Develop and apply criteria to identify effective entrepreneurial assistance programs and to group the entrepreneurial assistance programs by function.
560.52(1)(b)
(b) Rely upon part or all of similar inventories prepared by other individuals or organizations.
560.52(1)(c)
(c) Enter into contracts for the preparation of part or all of the inventory.
560.52(2)
(2) Dissemination. The department shall disseminate the information in the inventory prepared under
sub. (1) by issuing pamphlets and bulletins under
s. 560.09 (4) and by maintaining a toll free telephone line during normal business hours to receive requests for information relating to the inventory.
560.52 History
History: 1987 a. 320.
560.53
560.53
Intermediary assistance programs. 560.53(1)
(1)
Regional and statewide programs. The department shall arrange intermediary assistance programs, for regional or statewide meetings of industry, trade and professional organizations, that introduce members of the organizations to the procedures by which venture capital is invested in new businesses and the opportunities for the members to become intermediaries.
560.53(2)(a)(a) In one or more metropolitan areas, the department shall identify individuals and organizations that assist intermediaries, are interested in assisting intermediaries or are interested in becoming intermediaries or developing a local network.
560.53(2)(b)
(b) The department shall assist the individuals and organizations identified under
par. (a) in developing, to the extent feasible, self-sustaining intermediary assistance programs. An intermediary assistance program may do any of the following:
560.53(2)(b)1.
1. Provide an inventory of existing intermediaries in the metropolitan area.
