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AB-2226 California Main Street Program.(2021-2022)

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Date Published: 04/06/2022 09:00 PM
AB2226:v98#DOCUMENT

Amended  IN  Assembly  April 06, 2022

CALIFORNIA LEGISLATURE— 2021–2022 REGULAR SESSION

Assembly Bill
No. 2226

Introduced by Assembly Member Cervantes

February 15, 2022

An act to amend Section 12097.5 of the Government Code, and to amend Section 5079.70 of the Public Resources Code, relating to state government.


LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST


AB 2226, as amended, Cervantes. California Main Street Program.
(1) Existing law authorizes the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development to develop content for public dissemination to provide information and resources to inform the general public about place-based and other specified geographically targeted economic development programs.
This bill would include among those specified programs the California Main Street Program, which is administered by the State Office of Historic Preservation, and cultural districts certified by the Arts Council.
(2) Existing law requires the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development to annually convene specified individuals from various programs and agencies to discuss how California can leverage Promise Zones and Opportunity Zones to meet state and local community and economic development needs. Existing law requires the convention topics to include discussions on enhanced engagement opportunities and targeted outreach to assist designated areas in their efforts to access state resources and services.
This bill would additionally require these discussions to address leveraging those programs identified above, and would provide that convention topics on efforts to access state resources and services includes creating vibrant and resilient areas, including, but not limited to, successful entrepreneurial ecosystems, as defined.
(3) Existing law establishes the California Main Street Program within the State Office of Historic Preservation, and requires that program to provide technical assistance and training for small cities’ government, business organizations, merchants, and property owners to accomplish community and economic revitalization and development of older central and historic business districts and neighborhoods.
This bill would specify that those older central and historic business districts are located in rural, suburban, and urban neighborhoods. The bill would require authorize the State Office of Historical Preservation to collaborate with the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development to determine how the California Main Street Program can support business development by providing, among other things, economic and demographic data.
Vote: MAJORITY   Appropriation: NO   Fiscal Committee: YES   Local Program: NO  

The people of the State of California do enact as follows:


SECTION 1.

 Section 12097.5 of the Government Code is amended to read:

12097.5.
 (a) (1) The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development is hereby authorized to develop content on its internet website or through other mediums to be used for public dissemination, through outreach activities, in order to provide information and resources to inform the general public about place-based and other geographically targeted economic development programs, including, but not limited to, all of the following:
(A) The California Main Street Program, which is administered by the State Office of Historic Preservation pursuant to Article 8 (commencing with Section 5079.70) of Chapter 1.1.5 of Division 5 of the Public Resources Code.
(B) Cultural districts certified by the Arts Council pursuant to Chapter 9.2 (commencing with Section 8758) of Division 1.
(C) The federal Promise Zones within California that are designated by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
(D) The federal Opportunity Zones designated by the United States Treasury, pursuant to Sections 1400Z-1 and 1400Z-2 of the Internal Revenue Code.
(2) The information and resources shall include, but not be limited to, how the local jurisdictions or and census tracts were created, are designated as Promise Zones, Opportunity Zones, and cultural districts, how Main Street communities are formed, where locals and investors may get additional information, and updates regarding federal and state programs as that information becomes available.
(b) The Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development shall convene, at least annually, representatives from various programs and agencies across the state and from various federal programs and agencies for the purpose of discussing to discuss how California can leverage the California Main Street Program, cultural districts certified by the Arts Council, and federal Promise Zones and Opportunity Zones to meet state and local community and economic development needs. The convention topics shall include, but not be limited to, discussions on enhanced engagement opportunities and targeted outreach to assist designated areas in their efforts to access state resources and services to create vibrant and resilient areas, including, but not limited to, successful entrepreneurial ecosystems.
(c) As used in this section:
(1) “California Opportunity Zone” means a census tract in this state that has been designated by the United States Treasury as an Opportunity Zone, pursuant to Sections 1400Z-1 and 1400Z-2 of the Internal Revenue Code.
(2) “California Promise Zone” means a community in this state that has been designated by the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development as a Promise Zone.
(3) “Entrepreneurial ecosystems” means policies, structures, and approaches to investment that play a role in supporting new forms of economic activity and enterprise. Entrepreneurial ecosystems are distinct within the range of business development models due to the central role location and the physical environment play within the approach.

SEC. 2.

 Section 5079.70 of the Public Resources Code is amended to read:

5079.70.
 (a) There is hereby created within the office the California Main Street Program to provide technical assistance and training for small cities’ government, business organizations, merchants, and property owners to accomplish community and economic revitalization and development of older central and historic business districts in rural, suburban, and urban neighborhoods.
(b) The office shall may collaborate with the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development to determine how the California Main Street Program can support business development, thereby increasing private sector investment and economic growth in older central and historic business districts and in rural, suburban, and urban neighborhoods. These effort shall efforts may include, but not be limited to, providing all of the following:
(1) Economic and demographic data.
(2) Financial information to help link business with state and local public and private programs.
(3) Workforce information, including, but not limited to, labor availability, training, and education programs.
(4) Transportation and infrastructure information.
(5) Assistance in obtaining state and local permits.
(6) Information on tax credits and other incentives.
(7) Permitting, siting, and other regulatory information pertinent to business operations in the state.