House File 2525
HOUSE FILE
BY COMMITTEE ON ECONOMIC GROWTH
(SUCCESSOR TO HF 2285)
Passed House, Date Passed Senate, Date
Vote: Ayes Nays Vote: Ayes Nays
Approved
A BILL FOR
1 An Act relating to economic development by creating a main street
2 program and an entrepreneurship training curriculum.
3 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:
4 TLSB 6059HV 80
5 tm/pj/5
PAG LIN
1 1 Section 1. NEW SECTION. 15E.311 MAIN STREET PROGRAM.
1 2 1. The department of economic development shall establish
1 3 a main street program to stimulate downtown economic
1 4 development within the context of historic preservation and to
1 5 establish a strong partnership between public and private
1 6 entities to revitalize downtowns and communities. The main
1 7 street program shall emphasize community self=reliance and
1 8 downtown's traditional assets of personal service, local
1 9 ownership, and unique architecture. The main street program
1 10 shall be based on four strategies which, when applied
1 11 together, create a positive image and an improved economy in
1 12 downtowns. The strategies are organization, promotion,
1 13 design, and economic restructuring. Communities selected for
1 14 participation in the program shall receive technical
1 15 assistance from the department's main street staff,
1 16 professional staff of the national main street center, and
1 17 other professional consultants and may have professional
1 18 services of other state agencies to draw upon in order to
1 19 facilitate their local main street programs. A participant
1 20 may receive a grant to aid in the implementation of its local
1 21 main street program.
1 22 2. The department, as part of its technical assistance to
1 23 communities under the program, shall encourage communities to
1 24 apply for cultural and entertainment district designation
1 25 pursuant to section 303.3B.
1 26 3. Every five years, the department shall issue a report
1 27 regarding the status of the program. As part of the report,
1 28 the department shall state how, in the administration of the
1 29 program, the department has coordinated with other departments
1 30 to implement the program.
1 31 4. The department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter
1 32 17A to administer the program.
1 33 Sec. 2. NEW SECTION. 15E.316 ENTREPRENEURSHIP TRAINING
1 34 CURRICULUM.
1 35 1. The department of economic development, in cooperation
2 1 with the department of workforce development, the department
2 2 of education, area chambers of commerce, and foundations in
2 3 the state, shall develop an entrepreneurship curriculum using
2 4 established programs administered by the department of
2 5 education.
2 6 2. An entrepreneurship training curriculum fund is created
2 7 in the state treasury under the control of the department of
2 8 economic development and consisting of any moneys appropriated
2 9 by the general assembly and any other moneys available to and
2 10 obtained or accepted by the department for placement in the
2 11 fund. Moneys in the fund shall be used for purposes of paying
2 12 the costs involved in administering the provisions of this
2 13 section.
2 14 EXPLANATION
2 15 This bill relates to economic development by creating a
2 16 main street program and an entrepreneurship training
2 17 curriculum.
2 18 The bill provides that the department of economic
2 19 development shall establish a main street program to stimulate
2 20 downtown economic development within the context of historic
2 21 preservation and to establish a strong partnership between
2 22 public and private entities to revitalize downtowns and
2 23 communities. The bill provides that the department, as part
2 24 of its technical assistance to communities under the program,
2 25 shall encourage communities to apply for cultural and
2 26 entertainment district designation. The bill provides that,
2 27 every five years, the department shall issue a report
2 28 regarding the status of the program.
2 29 The bill requires the department of economic development,
2 30 in cooperation with the department of workforce development,
2 31 the department of education, area chambers of commerce, and
2 32 foundations in the state, to develop an entrepreneurship
2 33 training curriculum using established programs administered by
2 34 the department of education. The bill creates an
2 35 entrepreneurship training curriculum fund in the state
3 1 treasury under the control of the department of economic
3 2 development and consisting of any moneys appropriated by the
3 3 general assembly and any other moneys available to and
3 4 obtained or accepted by the department for placement in the
3 5 fund. The bill provides that moneys in the fund shall be used
3 6 for purposes of paying the costs involved in developing an
3 7 entrepreneurship training curriculum.
3 8 LSB 6059HV 80
3 9 tm/pj/5