This chapter may be cited as the "Microenterprise Development Act".
HISTORY: 2014 Act No. 171 (H.3125), Section 1.A, eff January 1, 2014.
Editor's Note
2014 Act No. 171, Section 2, provides as follows:
"SECTION 2. (A) There is established a Clean Energy Industry Manufacturing Market Development Advisory Commission to assist in the development of clean energy technology, materials, and products manufactured in this State.
"(B) The commission is composed of fourteen members. The Secretary of the South Carolina Department of Commerce, or the secretary's designee, and the Director of the State Energy Office, or the director's designee, shall serve on the commission and the Secretary of Commerce shall appoint one member representative from each of the following:
"(1) advanced vehicle technology industry;
"(2) alternative transportation fuels industry;
"(3) battery manufacturing industry;
"(4) biomass energy industry;
"(5) energy efficiency industry;
"(6) higher education research institution's incubation and business development department;
"(7) hydroelectric industry;
"(8) hydrogen storage or fuel cell industry;
"(9) solar manufacturing industry;
"(10) S.C. Technical College System's clean energy workforce development department;
"(11) utility industry; and
"(12) wind components manufacturing industry.
"(C) Appointed members serve at the pleasure of their appointing authority and without compensation or expenses.
"(D) The commission must meet as soon as practicable after appointment and organize itself. The chairman must be designated by the Secretary of Commerce and the commission shall select its own vice chairman and adopt those procedures necessary for its operations. A majority of the members constitutes a quorum to do business. As necessary, the Secretary of Commerce may expend public funds and may solicit, receive, and expend private funds from any relevant sources and entities in order to carry out the commission's purposes. The Secretary of Commerce, on behalf of the commission, may utilize department staff or engage consultants as may be necessary and prudent to assist the commission in the performance of its duties and responsibilities; however, the Secretary of Commerce may not expend more than one hundred thousand dollars in the aggregate to engage consultants. Also, the Department of Commerce may seek the assistance of the staff of the State Energy Office, as necessary.
"(E) Not later than December 31, 2014, the commission shall provide to the Governor and the General Assembly an initial report which must include, to the extent possible, the following:
"(1) a description and analysis of this State's existing clean energy manufacturing industry;
"(2) an analysis of job development potential for clean energy manufacturing in this State, including the expected composition of the jobs as full or part time, and the potential wages for such jobs;
"(3) an analysis of market potential in this State, in other states, or in foreign countries for technology, materials, and products manufactured by a clean energy industry from this State;
"(4) recommendations for actions which may be taken to provide incentives for manufacturing or operation of clean energy technology, materials, and products from this State. These recommendations must contain an analysis of existing incentives, including, but not limited to, those incentives provided for in Sections 12-6-3377, 12-6-3588, 12-6-3600, and 12-6-3610, the effectiveness or lack thereof, and whether any incentives should be amended or repealed. If the commission recommends additional incentives, the commission must forward its recommendation to the Board of Economic Advisors to prepare a revenue impact statement;
"(5) an analysis of incentives offered by neighboring and other states for the manufacturing or operation of clean energy technology, materials, and products;
"(6) recommendations on categories of clean energy markets that should be developed in this State and benchmarks to increase clean energy manufacturing in this State; and
"(7) recommendations for marketing and public education programs that should be implemented by economic development entities to provide information to the public and to business and industry on the benefits of investment in the clean energy manufacturing industry in this State. Any such recommendations shall include a fiscal impact statement from the Office of State Budget.
"(F) The commission shall issue a final report by September 30, 2015. The final report must include all the items required by subsection (E) and any revisions to the initial report. Following the submission of its final report, and unless authorized by a further or subsequent enactment, the commission is dissolved. The General Assembly may extend the date by which the commission must provide its reports.
"(G) The dissolution of the commission must not be construed so as to restrict the Secretary of Commerce from appointing an advisory council pursuant to Section 13-1-40 on matters similar to the jurisdiction of the Clean Energy Industry Manufacturing Market Development Advisory Commission."