560.30(12)
(12) "Municipality" means a county, city, village, or town.
560.30(13)
(13) "Rural municipality" means any of the following:
560.30(13)(a)
(a) A municipality that is located in a county with a population density of less than 150 persons per square mile.
560.30(13)(b)
(b) A municipality with a population of 6,000 or less.
560.30(14)
(14) "Small business" means a business with fewer than 100 employees, including employees of any subsidiary or affiliated organization.
560.30 History
History: 2009 a. 28,
265.
560.301
560.301
Rules, policies, and standards for awarding grants and making loans. The department shall promulgate rules that establish procedures, policies, and standards for implementing this subchapter and awarding grants and making loans under this subchapter. The rules shall include all of the following:
560.301(1)
(1) A statement of the department's economic development objectives for the program under this subchapter, together with the goals and accountability measures required under
s. 560.01 (2) (ae).
560.301(2)
(2) The methodology for designating an area as economically distressed. The methodology under this subsection shall require the department to consider the most current data available for the area and for the state on the following indicators:
560.301(2)(g)
(g) Other significant or irregular indicators of economic distress, such as a natural disaster.
560.301(3)
(3) Provisions for the development of a biennial plan for awarding grants and making loans under this subchapter, before the commencement of each odd-numbered fiscal year, and for the submission of the biennial plan to the governor and the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under
s. 13.172 (3).
560.301(4)
(4) Procedures related to grants and loans under
s. 560.304 for all of the following:
560.301(5)
(5) Conditions applicable to a grant awarded or loan made under
s. 560.304.
560.301(6)
(6) Procedures for monitoring the use of grants awarded and loans made under this subchapter, including procedures for verification of economic growth, job creation, and the number and percentage of newly created jobs for which state residents are hired.
560.301 History
History: 2009 a. 28,
265.
560.302
560.302
Grant and loan criteria. Upon receipt of an application by an eligible recipient, the department may consider any of the following in determining whether to award a grant or make a loan under
s. 560.304:
560.302(1)
(1) Whether the eligible activity proposed to be conducted by the eligible recipient serves a public purpose.
560.302(2)
(2) Whether the eligible activity proposed to be conducted by the eligible recipient will retain or increase employment in this state.
560.302(3)
(3) Whether the eligible activity proposed to be conducted by the eligible recipient is likely to occur without the grant or loan.
560.302(4)
(4) Whether and the extent to which the eligible activity proposed to be conducted by the eligible recipient will contribute to the economic growth of this state and the well-being of residents of this state.
560.302(5)
(5) Whether the eligible activity proposed to be conducted by the eligible recipient will be located in an economically distressed area.
560.302(6)
(6) The economic condition of the community in which the eligible activity proposed to be conducted by the eligible recipient is proposed to occur.
560.302(7)
(7) The potential of the eligible activity proposed to be conducted by the eligible recipient to promote the employment of minority group members.
560.302(8)
(8) Any other criteria established by the department by rule, including the types of projects that are eligible for funding and the types of eligible projects that will receive priority.
560.302 History
History: 2009 a. 28.
560.303
560.303
Miscellaneous and administrative expenditures. In each biennium, the department may expend or encumber up to a total of 1 percent of the moneys appropriated under
s. 20.143 (1) (fi) for that biennium for any of the following:
560.303(1)
(1) Evaluations of proposed technical research projects.
560.303(3)
(3) Evaluation costs, collection costs, foreclosure costs, and other costs associated with administering the loan portfolio under this subchapter, excluding staff salaries.
560.303 History
History: 2009 a. 28.
560.304
560.304
Forward innovation fund. The department may award a grant or make a loan to an eligible recipient from the appropriations under
s. 20.143 (1) (fi),
(gm), and
(io). The department shall consult with the board prior to awarding a grant or making a loan under this section.
560.304 History
History: 2009 a. 28,
265,
276.
560.305(1)(1) The department shall encourage small businesses to apply for grants and loans under this subchapter by ensuring that there are no undue impediments to their participation and by actively encouraging small businesses to apply for grants and loans. The department shall do all of the following:
560.305(1)(a)
(a) Publish and disseminate information about projects that may be funded by a grant or loan under
s. 560.304 and about procedures for applying for grants and loans under
s. 560.304.
560.305(1)(b)
(b) Simplify the application and review procedures for small businesses so that they will not impose unnecessary administrative burdens on small businesses.
560.305(1)(c)
(c) Assist small businesses in preparing applications for grants and loans.
560.305(2)
(2) The department may charge a grant or loan recipient an origination fee of not more than 2 percent of the grant or loan amount if the grant or loan equals or exceeds $100,000. The department shall deposit all origination fees collected under this subsection into the appropriation account under
s. 20.143 (1) (gm).
560.305(3)
(3) The department shall develop a policy relating to obtaining reimbursement of grants and loans provided under this subchapter. The policy may provide that reimbursement shall be obtained through full repayment of the principal amount of the grant or loan plus interest, through receipt of a share of future profits from or an interest in a product or process, or through any other appropriate means.
560.305(4)
(4) The department shall require, as a condition of a grant or loan, that a recipient contribute to a project an amount that is not less than 25 percent of the amount of the grant or loan.
560.305 History
History: 2009 a. 28,
265.
OFFICE OF REGULATORY ASSISTANCE
560.41
560.41
Definitions. In this subchapter:
560.41(1n)
(1n) "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(1w)
(1w) "Office" means the office of regulatory assistance in the department.
560.41(2)
(2) "Permit" means any approval of an agency required as a condition of operating a business in this state.
560.42
560.42
Responsibilities related to permits. 560.42(1m)(1m)
Assistance to businesses. The office shall do all of the following:
560.42(1m)(a)
(a) Provide assistance with obtaining and maintaining permits and any licenses and approvals necessary for a business to operate in this state. To fulfill the requirements of this paragraph, the office shall do all of the following on behalf of businesses:
560.42(1m)(a)3.
3. Help businesses comply with laws and rules applicable to businesses, including providing plain-language explanations of laws and rules.
560.42(1m)(b)
(b) Serve as a liaison between businesses and agencies, authorities, municipalities, and local economic development organizations.
560.42(2)(a)(a) The office 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 agency to enable the person to obtain information from the agency.
560.42(2)(a)2.
2. Obtaining information and permit applications from the 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 office shall monitor the status of the permit application and periodically report the status to the person.
560.42(2m)
(2m) Advocacy. The office shall provide advocacy services before 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 office may provide mediation or other dispute resolution services to facilitate the resolution of a dispute between an 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 office 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 office may refer to the appropriate 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 office 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 office shall not be liable for any consequences resulting from the failure of an agency to issue, or the failure of a person to seek, a permit.
560.42(4)(a)(a) The office shall maintain and publicize the availability of a toll-free telephone line available to in-state and out-of-state callers to the office.
560.42(4)(b)
(b) The office 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 agencies.
560.42(4)(c)
(c) The office shall, in its efforts under
pars. (a) and
(b), clearly represent that its services are advisory, informational and facilitative only.
560.42(5)
(5) Staffing and report. The office shall be staffed by at least 2 full-time employees of the department. The office shall annually submit to the chief clerk of each house of the legislature for distribution to the appropriate standing committees under
s. 13.172 (3) a report on the work of the office.
560.43
560.43
Responsibilities of agencies. 560.43(1)
(1)
Interagency cooperation. Each agency shall:
