,,ii #aahth ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #fji ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,march #a1 #bjbc,mr4 ,cardin introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,small ,business and ,entrepreneurship ,a ,,bill ,to establish a pilot program awarding competitive grants to organizations administering entrepreneurial development programming to formerly incarcerated individuals1 and other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,necessary ,entrepreneurship ,workshops via the ,,sba to ,transform and ,assist ,re-entry ,training ,act of #bjbc or the ,,new ,,start ,act of #bjbc4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds that-- 7#a7 according to the ,department of ,justice1 every year1 over #fjj1jjj individuals are released from prison and return home to their communities1 and almost #gg percent of those individuals will reoffend within #e years2 7#b7 according to the ,brookings ,institution1 an estimated #dh4e percent of formerly incarcerated individuals will remain unemployed or earn a negligible income for a period of #a year post-incarceration1 increasing the risk for recidivism2 7#c7 according to the ,florida ,state ,university ,institute for ,justice ,research and ,development1 formerly incarcerated individuals see a reduction in earnings of #be percent since criminal records make it difficult to find stable employment2 7#d7 self-employment can provide economic stability for those who are otherwise locked out of the labor market2 and 7#e7 according to a paper entitled ,entrepreneurship as a ,response to ,labor ,market ,discrimination for ,formerly ,incarcerated ,people-- 7,a7 the average individual without a criminal record has a #g4ji percent likelihood of becoming an entrepreneur1 but justice-impacted individuals were found to be more than #ej percent likely to choose entrepreneurship with a #ab4fi percent likelihood of becoming an entrepreneur2 7,b7 entrepreneurship reduces the likelihood of recidivism by #e4c percent1 which was a #cb4e percent decrease from average recidivism rates for regular employees who have been previously incarcerated2 and 7,c7 formerly incarcerated individuals who choose entrepreneurship make #b1gjj more annually than formerly incarcerated employees and that the income gap between formerly incarcerated entrepreneurs and entrepreneurs with no criminal record was #ch percent lower than the income gap between formerly incarcerated employees and employees with no criminal record4 #c4 ,pilot program 7a7 ,definitions ,in this ,act-- 7#a7 the terms ,administration and ,administrator mean the ,small ,business ,administration and the ,administrator thereof1 respectively2 7#b7 the term appropriate committees of ,congress means-- 7,a7 the ,committee on ,small ,business and ,entrepreneurship of the ,senate2 and 7,b7 the ,committee on ,small ,business of the ,house of ,representatives2 7#c7 the term covered individual means an individual who-- 7,a7 completed a term of imprisonment in ,federal1 ,state1 or local jail or prison2 and 7,b7 meets the offense eligibility requirements set forth in any applicable policy notice or other guidance issued by the ,small ,business ,administration for the program established under section #g7m7 of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcf7m772 7#d7 the terms intermediary and microloan have the meanings given those terms in section #g7m77#aa7 of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcf7m77#aa772 7#e7 the term microloan intermediary means an intermediary that is eligible to participate in the program established under section #g7m7 of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcf7m772 7#f7 the term pilot program means the pilot program established under subsection 7b72 and 7#g7 the term small business development center has the meaning given the term in section #c of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcb74 7b7 ,establishment ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of this ,act1 the ,administrator shall establish a pilot program to award grants to organizations over a #e-year period to create or support existing entrepreneurship development programs to provide assistance to covered individuals4 7c7 ,grant requirements ,the ,administrator shall-- 7#a7 award grants under the pilot program to organizations1 or partnerships of organizations1 which shall each receive a grant in an amount greater than #ajj1jjj and less than #ejj1jjj annually over the #e-year period in which the pilot program is in existence2 and 7#b7 allocate grants under the pilot program to ensure that the recipients are geographically varied throughout the ,united ,states4 7d7 ,partnerships ,an applicant for a grant under the pilot program may form partnerships with other organizations for the purposes of the application submitted under subsection 7e7 and for conducting entrepreneurial development programming4 7e7 ,application 7#a7 ,in general ,an organization or partnership of organizations desiring a grant under the pilot program shall submit an application to the ,administrator in such form1 in such manner1 and containing such information as the ,administrator may reasonably require4 7#b7 ,contents ,an application submitted under paragraph 7#a7 shall-- 7,a7 demonstrate that the applicant is a microloan intemediary or an organization that administers the ,community ,advantage ,pilot ,program of the ,administration1 or has a partnership with such an intermediary or organization1 that may provide microloans to qualified covered individuals1 or1 to the extent that the applicant is a national organization in multiple different markets1 that a separate microloan intermediary may be used in each such market2 7,b7 demonstrate strong community ties1 including those with the covered individual community1 local businesses1 and political leaders2 7,c7 demonstrate an ability to provide a full range of entrepreneurial development programming on an ongoing basis2 7,d7 include a plan for reaching covered individuals1 including by identifying particular target populations within the community2 7,e7 clearly define entrepreneurial development capabilities1 including coordination with existing local resource partners of the ,administration for additional training as necessary2 7,f7 present an entrepreneurship development curriculum1 which may be a nationally recognized model or based upon such a model2 7,g7 include a list of each partner organization2 and 7,h7 include a comprehensive plan for the use of grant funds1 including estimates for administrative and outreach costs of running and evaluating the entrepreneurship development program4 7f7 ,priority ,in determining whether to award a grant under the pilot program1 the ,administrator may give priority to applicants based on-- 7#a7 whether the application includes a commitment from an existing or new non-,federal funding source to meet the matching requirement under subsection 7g72 7#b7 whether the application takes into account local economies and markets as a part of the educational component of the entrepreneurship development program2 7#c7 the ability or plan of the applicant to provide entrepreneurial development services concurrent with employment or job training services2 and 7#d7 whether the applicant has a history of effectively providing entrepreneurial training or access to capital to covered individuals4 7g7 ,matching requirement 7#a7 ,in general ,as a condition of a grant provided under the pilot program1 the ,administrator shall require the recipient of the grant to contribute an amount equal to #be percent of the amount of the grant1 obtained solely from existing or new non-,federal sources4 7#b7 ,form ,in addition to cash or other direct funding1 the contribution required under paragraph 7#a7 may include indirect costs or in-kind contributions paid for under non-,federal programs4 7h7 ,responsibilities ,a recipient of a grant under the pilot program shall1 to the maximum extent possible1 connect covered individuals to a range of ,federal resources1 including-- 7#a7 the program established under section #g7m7 of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcf7m772 7#b7 the ,community ,advantage ,pilot ,program of the ,administration2 7#c7 small business development centers2 7#d7 women's business centers described in section #bi of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fef72 7#e7 chapters of the ,service ,corps of ,retired ,executives established under section #h7;b77#a77;,b7 of the ,small ,business ,act 77#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcg7;b77#a77;,b772 7#f7 ,veteran ,business ,outreach ,centers described in section #cb of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #feg;b72 and 7#g7 business centers established by the ,minority ,business ,development ,agency4 7i7 ,reports 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #a year after the date on which the ,administrator establishes the pilot program1 and every year thereafter until the pilot program terminates1 the ,administrator shall submit to ,congress a report on the activities of the pilot program1 including-- 7,a7 a list of each grantee organization and each partner organization2 7,b7 the characteristics of covered individuals assisted under the entrepreneurship development programs1 including race and ethnicity1 gender1 age1 marital status1 parental status1 employment status1 income1 banking and credit history1 and prior business experience2 7,c7 the participation and attendance rates for all components of the entrepreneurship development programs2 7,d7 the program retention rate2 7,e7 to the greatest extent practicable1 the most common reasons why participants do not complete the program2 7,f7 the percentage of participants who remain non-justice involved during the calendar year of the program2 7,g7 the level of the covered individuals' understanding of business concepts and principles2 7,h7 the level of the covered individuals' greater confidence in leadership strengths1 including the results of an industry-recognized behavioral assessment2 7,i7 the covered individuals' progress made toward establishing a business2 7,j7 the experiences and perceptions of the covered individuals2 7,k7 the number and dollar amount of loans made to covered individuals2 7,l7 the number and dollar amount of loans made or guaranteed by the ,administration to covered individuals2 and 7,m7 such additional information as the ,administrator may require4 7#b7 ,,gao report ,not later than #a year after the date on which the pilot program terminates1 the ,comptroller ,general of the ,united ,states shall submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress a report that evaluates-- 7,a7 the services that grant recipients provided to covered individuals assisted under entrepreneurship development programs2 7,b7 oversight of the pilot program by the ,administrator1 including policies and procedures for monitoring the compliance by grant recipients with pilot program requirements and an assessment of the effectiveness of the pilot program2 and 7,c7 the overall performance of the pilot program and the impacts of the pilot program on grant recipients4 7j7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this ,act may be construed to affect the program established under section #g7m7 of the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fcf7m771 including-- 7#a7 the requirements of that program2 7#b7 the manner in which that program is carried out2 or 7#c7 the use or availability of any amounts that have been made available to carry out that program4 7k7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,administrator such sums as are necessary to carry out the pilot program4 7l7 ,termination ,the pilot program shall terminate on the date that is #e years after the date on which the ,administrator establishes the pilot program4