Small Business Disaster Reform Act of 2013

Bill: 113-s-415
Sponsor: Sen. Landrieu, Mary L. [D-LA]
Introduced: 2013-02-28 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Disaster relief and insurance
Government lending and loan guarantees
Housing finance and home ownership
Small business

Summary:
action_date: 2013-02-28
text: 
Small Business Disaster Reform Act of 2013 - Amends the Small Business Act with respect to obtaining the best available collateral for a disaster loan of not more than $200,000 relating to damage to or destruction of the property of, or economic injury to, a small business concern. Prohibits the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), in obtaining such collateral, from requiring the small business owner to use the owner's primary residence as collateral if the owner has other assets with a value equal to or greater than the loan amount that could be used as collateral for the loan.
 
Allows the Administrator to authorize a Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to provide assistance to small businesses outside the state of that SBDC, without regard to geographical proximity, if the small business is in an area for which the President has declared a major disaster.
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Administrator shall ensure that a SBDC is appropriately reimbursed for any legitimate expenses in carrying out such assistance.

action_date: 2013-07-31
text: 
Small Business Disaster Reform Act of 2013 - Amends the Small Business Act with respect to obtaining the best available collateral for a disaster loan of not more than $200,000 relating to damage to or destruction of the property of, or economic injury to, a small business concern. Prohibits the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA), in obtaining such collateral, from requiring the small business owner to use the owner's primary residence as collateral if the owner has other assets with a value equal to or greater than the loan amount that could be used as collateral for the loan.
 
Allows the Administrator to authorize a Small Business Development Center (SBDC) to provide assistance to small businesses outside the state of that SBDC, without regard to geographical proximity, if the small business is in an area for which the President has declared a major disaster.
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Administrator shall ensure that a SBDC is appropriately reimbursed for any legitimate expenses in carrying out such assistance.
 
Directs the Administrator to increase oversight of small businesses receiving economic injury disaster loans, including random site visits and random reviews of loan usage. Expresses the sense of Congress that no additional federal funds shall be made available for such increased oversight.
 
Expresses the sense of Congress that the Administrator should: (1) reduce paperwork burdens on small businesses applying for SBA disaster assistance loans; and (2) ensure that the application for such assistance facilitates deterring and detecting potential instances of waste, fraud, and abuse. Requires the Administrator to take steps to reduce, to the maximum extent practicable, such paperwork.
 
Requires a report from the Administrator to the congressional small business committees relating to the creation of a web portal to track the status of applications for SBA disaster assistance.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2013-07-31
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 161.
action_date: 2013-07-31
text: Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Reported by Senator Landrieu with an amendment. With written report No. 113-84. Minority views filed.
action_date: 2013-07-31
text: Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Reported by Senator Landrieu with an amendment. With written report No. 113-84. Minority views filed.
action_date: 2013-06-17
text: Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Ordered to be reported with amendments favorably.
action_date: 2013-03-14
text: Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Hearings held. Hearings printed: S.Hrg. 113-309.
action_date: 2013-02-28
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. (text of measure as introduced: CR S1022)
action_date: 2013-02-28
text: Sponsor introductory remarks on measure. (CR S1019-1022)
action_date: 2013-02-28
text: Introduced in Senate