Small Business Access to Capital Act of 2015

To help small businesses access capital and create jobs by reauthorizing the successful State Small Business Credit Initiative. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Small Business Access to Capital Act of 2015 2. New Tranches of capital for successful State programs Section 3003 of the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 ( 12 U.S.C. 5702 (d) Additional allocation and competitive awards (1) Definitions In this subsection— (A) the term eligible participating State 1/3 (B) the term unused funds (i) amounts made available to the Secretary under clause (i)(II) or (ii)(II) of paragraph (2)(E); and (ii) amounts made available to the Secretary under paragraph (4)(B)(ii). (2) Allocation for 2010 participating States (A) Allocation Of the amount made available under paragraph (6)(D), the Secretary shall allocate a total of $500,000,000 among eligible participating States in the same ratio as funds were allocated under the 2010 allocation under subsection (b)(1) among participating States. (B) Application An eligible participating State desiring to receive funds allocated under this paragraph shall submit an application— (i) not later than the date that is 6 months after the date of enactment of the Small Business Access to Capital Act of 2015 (ii) in such manner and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (C) Availability of allocated amount (i) In general Notwithstanding subsection (c)(1), after an eligible participating State approved by the Secretary to receive an allocation under this paragraph has certified to the Secretary that the eligible participating State has expended, transferred, or obligated not less than 80 percent of the last 1/3 (ii) Effect on agreements The allocation or transfer of funds under this paragraph to an eligible participating State shall not be construed to— (I) amend or modify the terms of the Allocation Agreement entered into by the eligible participating State relating to the 2010 allocation; or (II) modify or extend the Allocation Time Period, as defined under such Allocation Agreement. (D) Use of transferred funds An eligible participating State may use funds transferred under this paragraph for any purpose authorized under subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (c)(3). (E) Termination of availability of amounts (i) In general If an eligible participating State has not certified to the Secretary that the State has expended, transferred, or obligated not less than 80 percent of the last 1/3 (I) may not be transferred to the eligible participating State under this paragraph; and (II) shall be available to the Secretary to make awards under paragraph (4). (ii) Other amounts Effective on the date that is 2 years after the date of enactment of the Small Business Access to Capital Act of 2015 (I) may not be transferred to an eligible participating State under this paragraph; and (II) shall be available to the Secretary to make awards under paragraph (4). (3) Competitive funding (A) In general Of the amount made available under paragraph (6)(D), the Secretary may award, on a competitive basis, not more than a total of $1,000,000,000 to participating States and consortiums of participating States for use for any purpose authorized under subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (c)(3). (B) Application (i) In general A participating State or consortium of participating States desiring to receive an award under this paragraph shall submit an application— (I) not later than the date established by the Secretary, which shall be not later than the date that is 1 year after the date of enactment of the Small Business Access to Capital Act of 2015 (II) in such manner and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (ii) Number of applications A participating State may submit not more than 1 application on behalf of the participating State and not more than 1 application as part of a consortium of participating States. (iii) States that did not participate A State that is not a participating State may apply to the Secretary for approval to be a participating State for purposes of this paragraph and paragraph (4), in accordance with section 3004. (C) Factors In determining whether to make an award to a participating State or consortium of participating States under this paragraph, the Secretary shall consider— (i) how the participating State or consortium of participating States plan to use amounts provided under the award under the approved State program to— (I) leverage private sector capital; (II) create and retain jobs during the 2-year period beginning on the date of the award; (III) serve businesses that have been incorporated or in operation for not more than 5 years; and (IV) serve low- or moderate-income communities; (ii) the extent to which the participating State or consortium of participating States will establish or continue a robust self-evaluation of the activities of the participating State or consortium of participating States using amounts made available under this title; (iii) the extent to which the participating State or consortium of participating States will provide non-Federal funds in excess of the amount required under subparagraph (E); and (iv) the extent to which the participating State expended, obligated, or transferred the 2010 allocation to the State. (D) Award of funds (i) First tranche Notwithstanding subsection (c)(1), and not later than 30 days after making an award under this paragraph to a participating State or consortium of participating States, the Secretary shall transfer 50 percent of the amount of the award to the participating State or consortium of participating States. (ii) Second tranche After a participating State or consortium of participating States has certified to the Secretary that the participating State or consortium of participating States has expended, transferred, or obligated not less than 80 percent of the amount transferred under clause (i), the Secretary shall transfer to the participating State or consortium of participating States the remaining amount of the award. (E) State share The State share of the cost of the activities, excluding administrative expenses, carried out using an award under this paragraph shall be not less than 10 percent. The Secretary may determine what contributions by a State qualify as part of the State share of the cost for purposes of this subparagraph. (4) Award of unused funds (A) In general The Secretary may award, on a competitive basis, unused funds to participating States for use for any purpose authorized under subparagraph (A) or (B) of subsection (c)(3). (B) Unused 2010 funds (i) In general The Secretary shall determine whether any amounts allocated to a participating State under subsection (b) shall be deemed no longer allocated and no longer available if a participating State has not certified to the Secretary that the State has expended, transferred, or obligated 80 percent of the second 1/3 (ii) Availability Effective on the date of the determination under clause (i), any amounts identified in the determination that were deemed no longer allocated and no longer available to the participating State shall be available to the Secretary to make awards under this paragraph. (C) Application A participating State desiring to receive an award under this paragraph shall submit an application— (i) not later than 3 months after the date on which funds are deemed no longer allocated and no longer available to any participating State; and (ii) in such manner and containing such information as the Secretary may require. (D) Factors In determining whether to make an award to a participating State under this paragraph, the Secretary shall consider the factors described in paragraph (3)(C). (E) Minimum amount The Secretary may not make an award of less than $5,000,000 under this paragraph. (5) Compliance and reporting requirements During the period beginning on the date on which a participating State first receives funds under paragraph (2), (3), or (4) and ending on the date that is 8 years after the date of enactment of the Small Business Access to Capital Act of 2015 (6) Administration and implementation (A) Administrative expenses for participating States A participating State may use not more than 3 percent of the amount made available to the participating State under paragraph (2), (3), or (4) for administrative expenses incurred by the participating State in implementing an approved State program. (B) Contracting During the 1-year period beginning on the date of enactment of the Small Business Access to Capital Act of 2015 (C) Amounts not assistance Any amounts transferred to a participating State under paragraph (2), (3), or (4) shall not be considered assistance for purposes of subtitle V of title 31, United States Code. (D) Appropriation There are appropriated to the Secretary, out of any funds in the Treasury not otherwise appropriated, $1,500,000,000 to carry out this subsection, including to pay reasonable costs of administering the programs under this subsection, to remain available until expended. (E) Termination of secretary’s program administration functions The authorities and duties of the Secretary to implement and administer the program under this subsection shall terminate at the end of the 8-year period beginning on the date of enactment of the Small Business Access to Capital Act of 2015 .

Summary: Small Business Access to Capital Act of 2015 Amends the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010 to extend for an additional eight fiscal years the State Small Business Credit Initiative to assist participating states to give collateral support and other innovative credit access and guarantee initiatives for small businesses and manufacturers. Prescribes allocations of federal funds to participating states. Authorizes the Department of the Treasury to award, on a competitive basis, up to a total of $1 billion in two tranches, according to specified criteria, to participating states and consortiums of participating states for use: (1) for making federal contributions to, or for the account of, an approved state program; or (2) as collateral for a qualifying loan or swap funding facility.