SCORE for Small Business Act of 2015

To strengthen resources for entrepreneurs by improving the SCORE program, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the SCORE for Small Business Act of 2015 2. SCORE Reauthorization Section 20 of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 631 (1) by redesignating subsection (j) as subsection (f); and (2) by adding at the end the following: (g) SCORE program There are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator to carry out the SCORE program authorized by section 8(b)(1) such sums as are necessary for the Administrator to make grants or enter into cooperative agreements in a total amount that does not exceed $10,500,000 in each of fiscal years 2016, 2017, and 2018. . 3. SCORE program Section 8 of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 637 (1) in subsection (b)(1)(B), by striking a Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) the SCORE program described in subsection (c) (2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following: (c) SCORE program (1) Definition In this subsection, the term SCORE program (2) Volunteers A volunteer participating in the SCORE program shall— (A) based on the business experience and knowledge of the volunteer— (i) provide at no cost to individuals who own, or aspire to own, small business concerns personal counseling, mentoring, and coaching relating to the process of starting, expanding, managing, buying, and selling a business; and (ii) facilitate low-cost education workshops for individuals who own, or aspire to own, small business concerns; and (B) as appropriate, use tools, resources, and expertise of other organizations to carry out the SCORE program. (3) Plans and goals The Administrator, in consultation with the SCORE Association, shall ensure that the SCORE program and each chapter of the SCORE program develop and implement plans and goals to more effectively and efficiently provide services to individuals in rural areas, economically disadvantaged communities, and other traditionally underserved communities, including plans for electronic initiatives, web-based initiatives, chapter expansion, partnerships, and the development of new skills by volunteers participating in the SCORE program. (4) Annual report The SCORE Association shall submit to the Administrator an annual report that contains— (A) the number of individuals counseled or trained under the SCORE program; (B) the number of hours of counseling provided under the SCORE program; and (C) to the extent possible— (i) the number of small business concerns formed with assistance from the SCORE program; (ii) the number of small business concerns expanded with assistance from the SCORE program; and (iii) the number of jobs created with assistance from the SCORE program. (5) Privacy requirements (A) In general Neither the Administrator nor the SCORE Association may disclose the name, address, or telephone number of any individual or small business concern receiving assistance from the SCORE Association without the consent of such individual or small business concern, unless— (i) the Administrator is ordered to make such a disclosure by a court in any civil or criminal enforcement action initiated by a Federal or State agency; or (ii) the Administrator determines such a disclosure to be necessary for the purpose of conducting a financial audit of the SCORE program, in which case disclosure shall be limited to the information necessary for the audit. (B) Administrator use of information This paragraph shall not— (i) restrict the access of the Administrator to program activity data; or (ii) prevent the Administrator from using client information to conduct client surveys. (C) Regulations (i) In general The Administrator shall issue regulations to establish standards for— (I) disclosures with respect to financial audits under subparagraph (A)(ii); and (II) conducting client surveys, including standards for oversight of the surveys and for dissemination and use of client information. (ii) Maximum privacy protection The regulations issued under this subparagraph shall, to the extent practicable, provide for the maximum amount of privacy protection. . 4. Technical and conforming amendments (a) Small Business Act The Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 631 et seq. (1) in section 7(m)(3)(A)(i)(VIII) ( 15 U.S.C. 636(m)(3)(A)(i)(VIII) Service Corps of Retired Executives SCORE program (2) in section 22 ( 15 U.S.C. 649 (A) in subsection (b)— (i) in paragraph (1), by striking Service Corps of Retired Executives SCORE program (ii) in paragraph (3), by striking Service Corps of Retired Executives SCORE program (B) in subsection (c)(12), by striking Service Corps of Retired Executives SCORE program (b) Other laws (1) Section 621 of the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 ( 15 U.S.C. 657p (A) in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following: (4) the term SCORE program 15 U.S.C. 637(b)(1)(B) ; and (B) in subsection (b)(4)(A)(iv), by striking Service Corps of Retired Executives SCORE program (2) Section 337(d)(2)(A) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act ( 42 U.S.C. 6307(d)(2)(A) Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) SCORE program 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the SCORE for Small Business Act of 2015 2. SCORE Reauthorization Section 20 of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 631 (1) by redesignating subsection (j) as subsection (f); and (2) by adding at the end the following: (g) SCORE program There are authorized to be appropriated to the Administrator to carry out the SCORE program authorized by section 8(b)(1) such sums as are necessary for the Administrator to make grants or enter into cooperative agreements in a total amount that does not exceed $10,500,000 in each of fiscal years 2016, 2017, and 2018. . 3. SCORE program (a) In general Section 8 of the Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 637 (1) in subsection (b)(1)(B), by striking a Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) the SCORE program described in subsection (c) (2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following: (c) SCORE program (1) Definition In this subsection, the term SCORE program (2) Volunteers A volunteer participating in the SCORE program shall— (A) based on the business experience and knowledge of the volunteer— (i) provide at no cost to individuals who own, or aspire to own, small business concerns personal counseling, mentoring, and coaching relating to the process of starting, expanding, managing, buying, and selling a business; and (ii) facilitate low-cost education workshops for individuals who own, or aspire to own, small business concerns; and (B) as appropriate, use tools, resources, and expertise of other organizations to carry out the SCORE program. (3) Plans and goals The Administrator, in consultation with the SCORE Association, shall ensure that the SCORE program and each chapter of the SCORE program develop and implement plans and goals to more effectively and efficiently provide services to individuals in rural areas, economically disadvantaged communities, and other traditionally underserved communities, including plans for electronic initiatives, web-based initiatives, chapter expansion, partnerships, and the development of new skills by volunteers participating in the SCORE program. (4) Annual report The SCORE Association shall submit to the Administrator an annual report that contains— (A) the number of individuals counseled or trained under the SCORE program; (B) the number of hours of counseling provided under the SCORE program; and (C) to the extent possible— (i) the number of small business concerns formed with assistance from the SCORE program; (ii) the number of small business concerns expanded with assistance from the SCORE program; and (iii) the number of jobs created with assistance from the SCORE program. (5) Privacy requirements (A) In general Neither the Administrator nor the SCORE Association may disclose the name, address, or telephone number of any individual or small business concern receiving assistance from the SCORE Association without the consent of such individual or small business concern, unless— (i) the Administrator is ordered to make such a disclosure by a court in any civil or criminal enforcement action initiated by a Federal or State agency; or (ii) the Administrator determines such a disclosure to be necessary for the purpose of conducting a financial audit of the SCORE program, in which case disclosure shall be limited to the information necessary for the audit. (B) Administrator use of information This paragraph shall not— (i) restrict the access of the Administrator to program activity data; or (ii) prevent the Administrator from using client information to conduct client surveys. (C) Regulations (i) In general The Administrator shall issue regulations to establish standards for— (I) disclosures with respect to financial audits under subparagraph (A)(ii); and (II) conducting client surveys, including standards for oversight of the surveys and for dissemination and use of client information. (ii) Maximum privacy protection The regulations issued under this subparagraph shall, to the extent practicable, provide for the maximum amount of privacy protection. . (b) Offset In carrying out the Entrepreneurship Education Program during each of fiscal years 2016, 2017, and 2018, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration— (1) may not obligate more than $5,000,000; and (2) may not obligate less than $2,500,000 of the amount obligated for the Entrepreneurship Education Program to carry out the Emerging Leaders Initiative. 4. Technical and conforming amendments (a) Small Business Act The Small Business Act ( 15 U.S.C. 631 et seq. (1) in section 7(m)(3)(A)(i)(VIII) ( 15 U.S.C. 636(m)(3)(A)(i)(VIII) Service Corps of Retired Executives SCORE program (2) in section 22 ( 15 U.S.C. 649 (A) in subsection (b)— (i) in paragraph (1), by striking Service Corps of Retired Executives SCORE program (ii) in paragraph (3), by striking Service Corps of Retired Executives SCORE program (B) in subsection (c)(12), by striking Service Corps of Retired Executives SCORE program (b) Other laws (1) Section 621 of the Children's Health Insurance Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 ( 15 U.S.C. 657p (A) in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following: (4) the term SCORE program 15 U.S.C. 637(b)(1)(B) ; and (B) in subsection (b)(4)(A)(iv), by striking Service Corps of Retired Executives SCORE program (2) Section 337(d)(2)(A) of the Energy Policy and Conservation Act ( 42 U.S.C. 6307(d)(2)(A) Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE) SCORE program June 10, 2015 Reported with an amendment

Summary: SCORE for Small Business Act of 2015 (Sec. 2) Amends the Small Business Act to reauthorize the SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) program for FY2015-FY2018 for Small Business Administration (SBA) grants or cooperative agreements that do not exceed a total of $10.5 million in each such fiscal year. Requires a SCORE program volunteer, based on business experience and knowledge, to: provide at no cost to individuals who own, or aspire to own, small businesses personal counseling, mentoring, and coaching relating to the process of starting, expanding, managing, buying, and selling a business; facilitate low-cost education workshops for these individuals; and use appropriate tools, resources, and expertise of other organizations to carry out the SCORE program. Directs the SBA to ensure that the SCORE program and each of its chapters develop and implement plans and goals to more effectively and efficiently provide services to individuals in rural areas, economically disadvantaged communities, and other traditionally underserved communities, including plans for electronic initiatives, web-based initiatives, chapter expansion, partnerships, and development of new skills by SCORE program volunteers. Bars the SBA and the SCORE Association from disclosing certain personal identifying information on any individual or small business receiving SCORE Association's assistance without the individual's or small business's consent, unless the SBA: is ordered to make such a disclosure by a court in any civil or criminal enforcement action initiated by a federal or state agency; or determines such a disclosure to be necessary to conduct a financial audit of the SCORE program, in which case the disclosure shall be limited to the information necessary for the audit. Exempts from these privacy requirements SBA access to program activity data or SBA use of client information to conduct client surveys. Prohibits the SBA, in carrying out the Entrepreneurship Education Program during each of FY2016-FY2018, from obligating: (1) more than $5 million, and (2) less than $2.5 million to carry out the Emerging Leaders Initiatives.