,,ii #aaith ,,congress #ast ,session ,s4 #adii ,,in ,,the ,,senate ,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states ,april #bh1 #bjbe,mr4 ,markey 7for himself and ,mr4 ,booker7 introduced the following bill2 which was read twice and referred to the ,committee on ,small ,business and ,entrepreneurship ,a ,,bill ,to establish a program awarding competitive grants to organizations administering entrepreneurial development programming to currently incarcerated and formerly incarcerated individuals1 and other purposes4 #a4 ,short title ,this ,act may be cited as the ,new ,start ,act of #bjbe4 #b4 ,findings ,congress finds that-- 7#a7 according to the ,department of ,justice1 every year1 around #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 #ab4di 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 ,entrepreneurship counseling and training for justice-impacted individuals ,the ,small ,business ,act 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fca et seq47 is amended-- 7#a7 by redesignating section #di 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fca note7 as section #ej2 and 7#b7 by inserting after section #dh 7#ae ,u4,s4,c4 #fegu7 the following3 #di4 ,new ,start ,program 7a7 ,definitions ,in this section3 7#a7 ,appropriate committees of ,congress ,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 ,representatives4 7#b7 ,community ,advantage ,small ,business ,lending ,company ,the term ,community ,advantage ,small ,business ,lending ,company has the meaning given the term in section #abj4aj of title #ac1 ,code of ,federal ,regulations1 or any successor regulation4 7#c7 ,currently incarcerated individual ,the term currently incarcerated individual means an individual who-- 7,a7 is incarcerated in a ,federal prison designated as a minimum1 low1 or medium security prison by the ,director of the ,bureau of ,prisons or is under the jurisdiction of the ,bureau of ,prisons and is housed in a ,residential ,reentry ,center operated under a contract with the ,bureau of ,prisons2 and 7,b7 meets the offense eligibility requirements set forth in any applicable policy notice or other guidance issued by the ,administration for the program established under section #g7m74 7#d7 ,entrepreneurial development program ,the term entrepreneurial development program includes programming that provides-- 7,a7 assistance and in-depth training on how to start or expand a small business concern1 including-- 7i7 a self-study course manual focused on the basic skills of entrepreneurship1 financial literacy1 the language of business1 and the considerations and life skills relevant to self-employment and ownership of a small business concern2 7ii7 in-depth classroom instruction introducing the foundations of self-employment and ownership of small business concerns2 or 7iii7 one-on-one training1 including individual support in the development of a business plan1 entrepreneurial skills1 and strategies for starting a small business concern2 7,b7 the tools1 skills1 and knowledge necessary to identify a business opportunity1 including how to-- 7i7 draft a resume1 business plan1 or succession plan2 7ii7 identify sources of capital and contracting opportunities2 or 7iii7 connect with local resources for small business concerns2 7,c7 a mentorship program for over a predetermined or open-ended period2 or 7,d7 seed investment in exchange for a small amount of equity1 as well as startup capital1 or the opportunity to raise capital from outside investors4 7#e7 ,formerly incarcerated individual ,the term formerly incarcerated 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 ,administration for the program established under section #g7m74 7#f7 ,microloan intermediary ,the term microloan intermediary means an intermediary 7as defined in section #g7m77#aa77 that is eligible to participate in the program established under section #g7m74 7#g7 ,program ,the term ,program means the ,new ,start ,program established under subsection 7b74 7#h7 ,,score ,the term ,,score means the ,service ,corps of ,retired ,executives described in section #h7;b77#a77;,b74 7#i7 ,women's business center ,the term women's business center means a women's business center described in section #bi4 7b7 ,establishment 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #ahj days after the date of enactment of the ,new ,start ,act of #bjbe1 the ,administrator shall establish the ,new ,start ,program to award grants to organizations over a #e-year period to create or support existing entrepreneurial development programs for formerly incarcerated individuals or currently incarcerated individuals4 7#b7 ,requirements ,in carrying out the ,program1 the ,administrator shall-- 7,a7 coordinate with the ,director of the ,bureau of ,prisons to allow organizations1 including small business development centers1 women's business centers1 and ,,score chapters1 that receive a grant under this section to provide entrepreneurial development assistance to currently incarcerated individuals2 7,b7 develop a plan1 which shall be updated annually and made in consultation with associations that represent small business development centers1 women's business centers1 and ,,score chapters1 to match organizations with formerly incarcerated individuals and currently incarcerated individuals2 and 7,c7 to the extent possible1 ensure an equitable share of grants between organizations that provide entrepreneurial development programs targeted to formerly incarcerated individuals and organizations that provide entrepreneurial development programs to currently incarcerated individuals4 7c7 ,grant requirements 7#a7 ,in general ,the ,administrator shall-- 7,a7 award grants under the ,program to organizations1 or partnerships of organizations1 including small business development centers1 women's business centers1 and ,,score chapters1 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 ,program is in existence2 and 7,b7 allocate grants under the ,program to ensure that the recipients are geographically varied throughout the ,united ,states4 7#b7 ,cap on women's business center grants ,the amount of an award granted to a women's business center under the ,program shall not count toward the maximum grant award amount allowable under section #bi4 7d7 ,partnerships ,an applicant for a grant under the ,program may form partnerships with other organizations for the purposes of the application submitted under subsection 7e7 and for conducting entrepreneurial development programs4 7e7 ,application 7#a7 ,in general ,an organization or partnership of organizations desiring a grant under the ,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 for the purposes of entrepreneurial development programming targeted at formerly incarcerated individuals1 demonstrate that the applicant is a microloan intermediary or a ,community ,advantage ,small ,business ,lending ,company1 or has a partnership with such a microloan intermediary1 ,community ,advantage ,small ,business ,lending ,company1 or other lender that may provide capital to qualified formerly incarcerated individuals2 7,b7 demonstrate strong community ties1 including those with the justice-impacted 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 formerly incarcerated individuals or currently incarcerated 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 entrepreneurial 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 entrepreneurial development program4 7f7 ,priority ,in determining whether to award a grant under the ,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 source2 7#b7 whether the application takes into account local economies and markets as a part of the educational component of the entrepreneurial development program2 7#c7 the ability or plan of the applicant to provide entrepreneurial development services concurrent with employment or job training services2 7#d7 whether the applicant has a history of effectively providing entrepreneurial development training or access to capital to formerly incarcerated individuals or currently incarcerated individuals2 and 7#e7 whether the applicant will be providing entrepreneurial development training to currently incarcerated individuals who will be released from ,federal custody not later than #ah months after the date on which those currently incarcerated individuals begin to receive those services4 7g7 ,responsibilities ,a recipient of a grant under the ,program shall1 to the maximum extent possible1 connect formerly incarcerated individuals to a range of ,federal resources1 including-- 7#a7 the program established under section #g7m72 7#b7 ,community ,advantage ,small ,business ,lending ,companies2 7#c7 small business development centers2 7#d7 women's business centers2 7#e7 ,,score chapters2 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 ,agency of the ,department of ,commerce4 7h7 ,reports 7#a7 ,in general ,not later than #a year after the date on which the ,administrator establishes the ,program1 and every year thereafter until the ,program terminates1 the ,administrator shall submit to the appropriate committees of ,congress a report on the activities of the ,program1 including-- 7,a7 a list of each grantee organization and each partner organization2 7,b7 the characteristics of formerly incarcerated individuals and currently incarcerated individuals assisted under the entrepreneurial development programs1 including race and ethnicity1 gender1 age1 marital status1 parental status1 employment status1 income1 and prior business experience2 7,c7 the participation and attendance rates for all components of the entrepreneurial development programs2 7,d7 the entrepreneurial development program retention rate2 7,e7 to the greatest extent practicable1 the most common reasons why participants do not complete an entrepreneurial development program2 7,f7 the percentage of formerly incarcerated individuals who remain non-justice involved during the calendar year of an entrepreneurial development program2 7,g7 the experiences and perceptions of entrepreneurial development program participants2 7,h7 the number and dollar amount of loans made to formerly incarcerated individuals2 7,i7 the number and dollar amount of loans made or guaranteed by the ,administration to formerly incarcerated individuals2 and 7,j7 such additional information as the ,administrator may require4 7#b7 ,,gao report ,not later than #a year after the date on which the ,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 formerly incarcerated individuals and currently incarcerated individuals assisted under entrepreneurial development programs2 7,b7 oversight of the ,program by the ,administrator1 including policies and procedures for monitoring the compliance by grant recipients with ,program requirements and an assessment of the effectiveness of the ,program2 and 7,c7 the overall performance of the ,program and the impacts of the ,program on grant recipients4 7i7 ,rule of construction ,nothing in this section may be construed to affect the program established under section #g7m71 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 7j7 ,authorization of appropriations ,there are authorized to be appropriated to the ,administrator such sums as are necessary to carry out the ,program4 4