§ 24-48.5-102 — Small business assistance center

Colorado § 24-48.5-102

• Jurisdiction: Colorado
• Title 24: Government
• Art.: Office of Economic Development

Text

(1) (a) In addition to the
powers and duties specified in section 24-48.5-101, the Colorado office of economic
development shall include the small business assistance center, which shall provide
comprehensive information on the federal, state, and local requirements necessary
to begin a business and shall make this information available to the public. The
office shall also have available comprehensive information on the forms and merits
of employee ownership and the revolving loan program described in section 24-48.5-124 (4).

(b) (I) The small business assistance center shall also create a small business
navigator that shall provide a single point of contact for small businesses in order
to facilitate and assist small businesses by:

(A) Diagnosing problems;

(B) Providing information and streamlining referrals to small business
development centers, the Colorado credit reserve program, the federal small
business credit initiative, or other such centers or organizations;

(C) Providing information regarding state government contracting offices
and processes;

(D) Providing assistance with state rules; and

(E) Conducting any follow-up with the small business as needed.

(II) On or before January 15, 2012, and on or before each January 15
thereafter, the Colorado office of economic development shall submit a report to
the business, labor, and technology committee of the senate and the economic and
business development committee of the house of representatives, or such
successor committees, which report shall include the number of small businesses
being served by the small business navigator.

(2) The small business assistance center shall have the authority to accept
and expend moneys from sources other than the state of Colorado for the purpose
of performing specific projects, studies, or procedures, or to provide assistance.
Such projects, studies, procedures, or assistance shall be reviewed and approved
by the Colorado office of economic development and shall be consistent with the
duties, authority, and purposes of the Colorado office of economic development as
established in this article. Any receipt and expenditure of funds shall be reported to
the general assembly as part of the office's annual budget request.

(3) The services rendered by the center shall be made available without
charge; except that the applicant shall not be relieved from any part of the fees or
charges established for the review and approval of specific permit applications,
from any of the apportioned costs of a consolidated hearing conducted under this
section, or from the costs of any contracted services as authorized by the applicant
under this section.

(4) Any person who provides information developed by the center and
charges any fee for such information shall disclose in at least ten-point type, before
any obligation is incurred, that such information is available at no cost from the
center. Any person who knowingly fails to make the disclosure required by this
subsection (4) commits a civil infraction and shall be punished as provided in
section 18-1.3-503.

Legislative History

Source: L. 97: Entire section added, p. 525, � 5, effective July 1. L. 2000: (1) and (2) amended, p. 1676, � 2, effective July 1. L. 2002: (4) amended, p. 1534, � 256, effective October 1. L. 2011: (1) amended, (HB 11-1209), ch. 168, p. 578, � 3, effective May 9. L. 2017: (1)(a) amended, (HB 17-1214), ch. 203, p. 754, � 2, effective May 18. L. 2021: (4) amended, (SB 21-271), ch. 462, p. 3229, � 427, effective March 1, 2022.