(1) (a) In addition to the powers and duties specified in section 24-48.5-101, the Colorado office of economic development shall include the small business assistance center, which shall provide comprehensive information on the federal, state, and local requirements necessary to begin a business and shall make this information available to the public. The office shall also have available comprehensive information on the forms and merits of employee ownership and the revolving loan program described in section 24-48.5-124 (4).
(b) (I) The small business assistance center shall also create a small business navigator that shall provide a single point of contact for small businesses in order to facilitate and assist small businesses by:
Diagnosing problems;
Providing information and streamlining referrals to small business development centers, the Colorado credit reserve program, the federal small business credit initiative, or other such centers or organizations;
Providing information regarding state government contracting offices and processes;
Providing assistance with state rules; and
Conducting any follow-up with the small business as needed.
(II) On or before January 15, 2012, and on or before each January 15 thereafter, the Colorado office of economic development shall submit a report to the business, labor, and technology committee of the senate and the economic and business development committee of the house of representatives, or such successor committees, which report shall include the number of small businesses being served by the small business navigator.
The small business assistance center shall have the authority to accept and expendmoneys from sources other than the state of Colorado for the purpose of performing specific projects, studies, or procedures, or to provide assistance. Such projects, studies, procedures, or assistance shall be reviewed and approved by the Colorado office of economic development and shall be consistent with the duties, authority, and purposes of the Colorado office of economic development as established in this article. Any receipt and expenditure of funds shall be reported to the general assembly as part of the office's annual budget request.
The services rendered by the center shall be made available without charge; exceptthat the applicant shall not be relieved from any part of the fees or charges established for the review and approval of specific permit applications, from any of the apportioned costs of a consolidated hearing conducted under this section, or from the costs of any contracted services as authorized by the applicant under this section.
Any person who provides information developed by the center and charges any feefor such information shall disclose in at least ten-point type, before any obligation is incurred, that such information is available at no cost from the center. Any person who knowingly fails to make the disclosure required by this subsection (4) commits a class 3 misdemeanor and shall be punished as provided in section 18-1.3-501, C.R.S.
Source: L. 97: Entire section added, p. 525, § 5, effective July 1. L. 2000: (1) and (2) amended, p. 1676, § 2, effective July 1. L. 2002: (4) amended, p. 1534, § 256, effective October 1. L. 2011: (1) amended, (HB 11-1209), ch. 168, p. 578, § 3, effective May 9. L. 2017: (1)(a) amended, (HB 17-1214), ch. 203, p. 754, § 2, effective May 18.
Cross references: (1) For the legislative declaration in the 2002 act amending subsection (4), see section 1 of chapter 318, Session Laws of Colorado 2002.
(2) For the legislative declaration in the 2011 act amending subsection (1), see section 1 of chapter 168, Session Laws of Colorado 2011.