SCORE for Small Business Act of 2015

Bill: 114-s-1000
Sponsor: Sen. Risch, James E. [R-ID]
Introduced: 2015-04-16 in the Senate
Policy area: Commerce
Subjects: Business education
Executive agency funding and structure
Minority and disadvantaged businesses
Right of privacy
Small Business Administration
Small business
Social work, volunteer service, charitable organizations

Summary:
action_date: 2015-04-16
text: 

SCORE for Small Business Act of 2015

 
 Amends the Small Business Act, with respect to the SCORE program (Service Corps of Retired Executives), to: (1) reauthorize such program for FY2015-FY2018; (2) modify requirements of such program with respect to the role of participating volunteers, program plans and goals, and reporting; and (3) outline privacy requirements pertaining to the disclosure of information of businesses assisted under such program.
 

action_date: 2015-06-10
text: 

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. 


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2016-04-21
text: By Senator Vitter from Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship filed written report. Report No. 114-242.
action_date: 2016-04-21
text: By Senator Vitter from Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship filed written report. Report No. 114-242.
action_date: 2015-06-10
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 110.
action_date: 2015-06-10
text: Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Reported by Senator Vitter with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2015-06-10
text: Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Reported by Senator Vitter with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2015-04-23
text: Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2015-04-16
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
action_date: 2015-04-16
text: Introduced in Senate