§ 42-132-3. Organization and responsibilities.
(a) There is hereby established, within the secretary of state's first stop business information
center, a business fast-start office ("Fast-Start Office�) which shall be under the
direction of the director or other full-time state employee as appointed by the secretary
of state. Additional staff sufficient to perform the duties of the fast-start office
shall be provided under the direction of the secretary of state from the personnel
currently assigned to the office of the secretary of state. Nothing in this section
shall be construed to explicitly or implicitly permit the hiring of any additional
personnel to perform the duties and responsibilities designated in this section. As
a clearinghouse for state business licensing, the fast-start office will:
(1) Work in conjunction with the office to establish a license information service detailing
requirements for establishing and engaging in business in this state, including state
licensing and regulatory requirements. The fast-start office in later phases of its
program will, to the extent feasible, extend its service to include local and federal
requirements;
(2) Develop recommendations for the elimination, consolidation, simplification, and/or
expediting of business licenses, or otherwise improving licensing procedures affecting
business undertakings. These recommendations, with the approval of the secretary of
state, will be submitted to the general assembly for approval;
(3) Promulgate and adopt rules and regulations necessary to carry out the purposes of
this chapter;
(4) Develop an operating plan for an automated master application system;
(5) Determine the software and hardware needs of the system;
(6) Determine staffing levels and space required for the system.
(b) State agencies that issue business licenses shall assist and cooperate in the development
and implementation of the plan as required by the fast-start office. In making the
determination and developing an operating plan for an automated master application
system, the fast-start office shall identify the business licenses appropriate for
inclusion in a master application system and shall develop a master application form
that consolidates the information needed for the various state agencies to issue the
licenses.
(c) Each state agency that issues licenses shall cooperate fully with the fast-start office
in providing information on the licenses and regulatory requirements of the agency
and in developing a plan for an automated master application system.
(d) Each state agency shall designate a business license coordinator. The coordinator
shall have the following responsibilities:
(1) Provide to the fast-start office the most recent application and supplemental forms
required for each license issued by the agency, the most recent information available
on existing and proposed changes in license requirements or agency rules and how those
changes will affect the business community, and agency publications that would be
of aid or interest to the business community;
(2) Receive and respond to communications from the fast-start office; and
(3) Review state agency regulatory and license requirements and provide a written report
to the fast-start office no later than January 1, 2002, and every two (2) years thereafter
that:
(i) Identifies the regulatory and licensing requirements that affect the business community;
(ii) Indicates which, if any, requirements should be eliminated, modified, or consolidated
with other requirements; and
(iii) Explains the need for continuing those requirements not recommended for elimination.