To amend the Small Business Act to direct the Administrator of the Small Business Administration to establish a program to provide regulatory compliance assistance to small business concerns, and for other purposes.
National Small Business Regulatory Assistance Act of 2003 - Amends the Small Business Act to direct the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), acting through the Associate Administrator for Small Business Development Centers, to establish a program to provide regulatory compliance assistance to small businesses through participating Small Business Development Centers (Centers), the Association for Small Business Development Centers (Association), and Federal compliance partnership programs. Requires the Administrator to enter into arrangements with participating Centers to provide: (1) access to regulatory information and resources; (2) training and education activities; (3) confidential counseling to owners and operators of small businesses regarding compliance with Federal and State regulations; (4) technical assistance; and (5) referrals to experts and other providers of compliance assistance. Requires quarterly reports to the SBA from participating Centers.
Directs the Administrator to act as the repository of and clearinghouse for data and information submitted by Centers and to transmit annual program reports to the President and the congressional small business committees.
Requires the Administrator, giving substantial weight to the Association's recommendations, to select the Centers programs of two States from each of ten groups of States for participation in the program. Authorizes the Administrator to make additional selections after three years. Directs the Administrator to give selection preference to programs that have a plan for consulting with Federal and State agencies to ensure that assistance provided under this Act is not duplicated by any other Federal or State program. Sets forth the formula for determining program grant amounts.
Requires the Comptroller General to evaluate the program and transmit evaluation results to the Administrator and the small business committees.
Authorizes appropriations.
Provides privacy requirements applicable to such Centers.
Introduced in House
Introduced in House
Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.
Mr. Manzullo moved to suspend the rules and pass the bill.
Considered under suspension of the rules. (consideration: CR H2879-2883)
DEBATE - The House proceeded with forty minutes of debate on H.R. 205.
At the conclusion of debate, the Yeas and Nays were demanded and ordered. Pursuant to the provisions of clause 8, rule XX, the Chair announced that further proceedings on the motion would be postponed.
Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2909-2910)
Passed/agreed to in House: On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 417 - 4 (Roll no. 116).(text: CR H2879-2880)
Roll Call #116 (House)On motion to suspend the rules and pass the bill Agreed to by the Yeas and Nays: (2/3 required): 417 - 4 (Roll no. 116). (text: CR H2879-2880)
Roll Call #116 (House)checking server…
Ask anything about this bill. The AI reads the full text to answer.
Enter to send · Shift+Enter for new line
Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
Received in the Senate and Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.