Bill Number: OK51RHB 1283 Filed: 01-18-2007
Author: Turner
STATE OF OKLAHOMA
1 1st Session of the 51st Legislature (2007)
2 HOUSE BILL 1283 By: Turner
3 AS INTRODUCED
4 An Act relating to economic development; enacting the
5 Helping Economies in Rural Oklahoma through
6 Intrastate Cooperation Act (HEROIC) of 2007;
7 providing short title; providing for administration
8 of HEROIC Act of 2007 by Oklahoma State University
9 Cooperative Extension Service; providing for
10 cooperative partnerships; providing for components of
11 HEROIC Act of 2007; defining components; providing
12 for implementation of components; requiring
13 establishment of certain geographic regions;
14 requiring community resource assessment; specifying
15 content of assessment; requiring assistance to
16 certain local communities; specifying assistance to
17 be provided; providing for training services;
18 providing for business retention and expansion
19 survey; providing for training and seminars;
20 providing for evaluation of pilot program; providing
21 for availability of results; authorizing expenditure
22 of certain funds; providing for local matching
23 requirement; providing for codification; providing an
24 effective date; and declaring an emergency.
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1 BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
2 SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
3 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3001 of Title 62, unless there
4 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
5 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Helping
6 Economies in Rural Oklahoma through Intrastate Cooperation (HEROIC)
7 Act of 2007.
8 SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
9 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3002 of Title 62, unless there
10 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
11 The Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service
12 shall administer the provisions of the HEROIC Act of 2007.
13 SECTION 3. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
14 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3003 of Title 62, unless there
15 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
16 To assure the best possible utilization of state resources,
17 the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service, when appropriate and
18 timely, shall partner with other state agencies, institutions and
19 organizations for delivering assistance to participants of the
20 HEROIC project.
21 SECTION 4. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
22 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3004 of Title 62, unless there
23 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
24 The HEROIC Act of 2007 shall consist of three components as
25 follows:
26 1. Component I shall consist of pilot region selection and
27 community resource assessment within the region;
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1 2. Component II shall consist of strategic plan development,
2 identifying targeted economic development opportunities, industrial
3 team training and business retention and expansion training; and
4 3. Component III will include training opportunities to
5 enhance leadership skills. Topics will include, but not necessarily
6 be limited to, business skills, recruiting business prospects,
7 workforce training and familiarization with sources of assistance.
8 This Component will enhance the community capacity and ensure the
9 sustainability of the program. An evaluation of the pilot effort
10 will be conducted.
11 SECTION 5. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
12 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3005 of Title 62, unless there
13 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
14 A. Not later than September 30, 2007, the Cooperative
15 Extension Service shall begin implementation of Component I of the
16 HEROIC Act of 2007.
17 B. As part of the implementation of Component I, the
18 Cooperative Extension Service shall establish four geographic
19 regions within the state, to be designated the South Central,
20 Central, East and West Regions, with each region consisting of three
21 counties. The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service will
22 facilitate the selection process to ensure geographic representation
23 and balance. Participating counties will be required to provide
24 cash or in-kind contributions equal to twenty-five percent (25%) of
25 any mini-grant received. Governmental units participating in the
26 pilot program will be required to show commitment to the program by
27 the adoption of a resolution supporting the effort. The Oklahoma
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1 Cooperative Extension Service will develop other criteria for
2 participation in the HEROIC Pilot Project.
3 C. The Cooperative Extension Service shall conduct a
4 community resource assessment within each of the pilot program
5 geographic regions.
6 D. The community resource assessment shall include, but shall
7 not be limited to:
8 1. Establishing or improving existing databases relevant to
9 rural economic development efforts, including analysis of existing
10 labor forces, transportation systems, community leadership,
11 community infrastructure, community professional staff,
12 identification of manufacturing and other business enterprises and
13 the products or services produced, educational level of residents,
14 natural resources, and recreational resources;
15 2. Establishing and improving existing methods for making
16 community information available in a sustainable and user-friendly
17 manner through the use of community websites, linkage between
18 communities and relevant databases of information, or such other
19 methods that may be conducive to access and sharing of relevant
20 information; and
21 3. Providing value-added data products such as retail trade
22 reports, economic impact reports and marketing materials to aid in
23 business development efforts.
24 SECTION 6. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
25 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3006 of Title 62, unless there
26 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
27 A. Not later than July 1, 2008, the Cooperative Extension
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1 Service shall begin implementation of Component II of the HEROIC Act
2 of 2007.
3 B. Subject to input provided to the Cooperative Extension
4 Service from community leaders, Component II shall provide
5 assistance to local communities with:
6 1. Developing a strategic plan. Strategic planning
7 assistance provided by the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
8 includes a thorough review of options for economic development
9 including creation (entrepreneurial development), business
10 attraction, and retention/expansion of existing business;
11 2. Identifying targeted economic development options will be
12 reviewed and will include opportunities for export enhancement and
13 import substitution;
14 3. Providing industry team training to enhance competitive
15 opportunities for communities in pilot regions; and
16 4. Business retention and expansion training which will be
17 offered to the pilot program participants. Survey support including
18 analysis of responses will be provided.
19 C. The Cooperative Extension Service shall assist with target
20 industry analysis, team training and business retention and
21 expansion.
22 D. Component II shall also include assistance with the
23 establishment of import and export relationships with respect to
24 existing and newly established business enterprises.
25 E. Component II shall also include team training services for
26 the purposes of assisting community residents and leaders in
27 conducting activity designed to introduce the community to
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1 prospective business enterprises in a way best designed to promote
2 the community as a possible site location.
3 F. Component II shall also include a business retention and
4 expansion survey, including analysis of responses, designed to
5 assist communities with maximizing opportunity from established
6 business enterprises.
7 SECTION 7. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
8 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3007 of Title 62, unless there
9 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
10 A. Not later than July 1, 2009, the Cooperative Extension
11 Service shall begin implementation of Component III of the HEROIC
12 Act of 2007.
13 B. To enhance community capacity and ensure the
14 sustainability of the program, the Oklahoma Cooperative Extension
15 Service will provide training and seminars to enhance leadership
16 skills. Topics will include business skills, recruiting business
17 prospects, workforce training, and familiarization with sources of
18 assistance.
19 C. The Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service will develop a
20 process whereby new classes can be offered assistance utilizing
21 the model developed during the HEROIC Pilot Program.
22 Communities/Classes in the original pilot areas will be asked to
23 serve as mentors to the new areas added to the HEROIC Program.
24 D. An evaluation of the pilot effort will be conducted by the
25 Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service. Results of the evaluation
26 will be available to the members of the Oklahoma House of
27 Representatives and the members of the Oklahoma State Senate and to
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1 other interested parties.
2 SECTION 8. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
3 in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 3008 of Title 62, unless there
4 is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
5 The Oklahoma State University Cooperative Extension Service
6 shall be authorized to expend funds within its control for purposes
7 of establishing community mini-grant programs using a local match
8 requirement according to such standards as may be established by the
9 Cooperative Extension Service.
10 SECTION 9. This act shall become effective July 1, 2007.
11 SECTION 10. It being immediately necessary for the
12 preservation of the public peace, health and safety, an emergency is
13 hereby declared to exist, by reason whereof this act shall take
14 effect and be in full force from and after its passage and approval.
15 51-1-5391 MAH 01/03/07
16 Page 1
17 Req. No. 5391
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