HB 1245: Promoting Business Development (2025 Regular Session)

Summary

House Bill 1245, State of Washington, 2025 Regular Session, is an act relating to promoting business development, read first time 01/14/25 and referred to the Committee on Technology, Economic Development, & Veterans. It establishes the office of entrepreneurship, whose director is appointed by the governor and whose primary duty is to make it easier to start and grow a business in Washington. The office's powers include identifying government regulations and fees that hinder business formation and serving as a point of contact for businesses in operation for not more than five years. The office is also to encourage five percent of the total number and value of state contracts to be awarded to such businesses.

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Full text

     H-0458.1

                                HOUSE BILL 1245


     State of Washington        69th Legislature         2025 Regular Session

     By Representatives Couture, Walen, Fitzgibbon, Barkis, Nance, Eslick,
     Caldier, Timmons, and Pollet

     Read first time 01/14/25.      Referred   to   Committee   on   Technology,
     Economic Development, & Veterans.




1        AN ACT Relating to promoting business development; and adding new
2    sections to chapter 43.330 RCW.


3    BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:


 4       NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. A new section is added to chapter 43.330
 5   RCW to read as follows:
 6       The definitions in this section apply throughout this section and
 7   sections 2 and 3 of this act unless the context clearly requires
 8   otherwise.
 9       (1) "Business" means any corporation, partnership, company,
10   cooperative, sole proprietorship, or other legal entity organized or
11   operating for pecuniary or nonpecuniary gain.
12       (2) "Office" means the office of entrepreneurship established in
13   section 2 of this act.
14       (3) "State agency" means a state agency, department, office,
15   board, commission, bureau, division, or institution that is part of
16   the executive branch of state government.


17       NEW SECTION. Sec. 2. A new section is added to chapter 43.330
18   RCW to read as follows:
19       (1) The office of entrepreneurship is established. The director
20   of the office must be appointed by the governor. The director's
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 1   primary duty is to make it easier to start and grow a business in
 2   Washington. The office may employ staff necessary to carry out the
 3   office's duties as prescribed by this section and section 3 of this
 4   act, subject to the availability of amounts appropriated for this
 5   specific purpose.
 6       (2) The office has the power and duty to:
 7       (a) Work to promote and strengthen initiatives, policies, and
 8   programs   supporting    the    entrepreneurship    of   Washington-based
 9   businesses with fewer than 10 employees;
10       (b)   Work   with   stakeholders     and   organizations   supporting
11   entrepreneurship to enhance the learning and skills of, provide
12   technical   support   to,   and    expand   access   to,  resources   for
13   entrepreneurs across the state;
14       (c) Serve as a point of contact to assist businesses that have
15   been in operation for not more than five years in their interactions
16   with state agencies and, where appropriate, refer businesses to other
17   state or local agencies that provide assistance to businesses; and
18       (d) Identify government regulations and fees that hinder business
19   formation in the state.
20       (3) In carrying out its purpose, the office may collaborate with
21   the department of commerce, the department of enterprise services,
22   the office of the secretary of state, the department of veterans
23   affairs, the office of regulatory innovation and assistance, the
24   office of minority and women's business enterprises, and all other
25   relevant state agencies. Such relevant state agencies shall cooperate
26   with and assist the office in the performance of its duties and
27   functions, including by providing data collected by such agencies
28   that is necessary for the office to complete its reporting
29   obligations under section 3 of this act.

30       NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. A new section is added to chapter 43.330
31   RCW to read as follows:
32       (1) Beginning November 1, 2026, and biennially thereafter, the
33   office shall submit to the legislative committees with jurisdiction
34   over economic development policy a report that includes, without
35   limitation:
36       (a) The number and total dollar amount of state contracts awarded
37   to businesses that have been in operation for not more than five
38   years, including a breakdown by demographic segments and geographic
39   areas throughout the state;
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 1       (b) The percentage of the number of state contracts awarded to
 2   businesses that have been in operation for not more than five years
 3   compared to the total number of contracts awarded;
 4       (c) The number of businesses owned by women, minorities, or
 5   veterans that have been in operation for not more than five years and
 6   have been awarded a state contract;
 7       (d) The percentage of the total dollar amount of state contracts
 8   awarded to businesses that have been in operation for not more than
 9   five years compared to the total dollar amount of contracts awarded;
10       (e) The types of businesses that have been in operation for not
11   more than five years and have been awarded a state contract;
12       (f) Recommendations on improving access to state contracts for
13   businesses that have been in operation for not more than five years,
14   including   those   businesses   in   statistically   underrepresented
15   demographic segments and geographic areas of the state;
16       (g) Recommendations on improving overall entrepreneurship in the
17   state including identifying regional challenges to entrepreneurship;
18   and
19       (h) Any additional information deemed necessary by the office to
20   provide an accurate depiction of the condition of entrepreneurship in
21   the state.
22       (2) The office shall encourage five percent of the total number
23   and value of state contracts to be awarded to businesses that have
24   been in operation for not more than five years and whose principal
25   place of business is in this state.

                                  --- END ---




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