HB 2223 Summary

• Establishes a youth entrepreneurship pilot program administered by the Arizona Commerce Authority to serve persons aged 16-23, providing community-based entrepreneurial education, mentoring from local business owners, and economic skill development.

• Requires the program to include a dedicated component serving youths in counties with populations under 750,000 persons, with emphasis on engaging "disconnected youths" not currently employed or in school.

• Appropriates $5,000,000 from the state general fund for fiscal year 2019-2020 to operate the program, with $50,000 allocated for competitive seed capital grants in rural counties and $50,000 for grants in more populous counties.

• Requires annual reports to the Governor, President of the Senate, and Speaker of the House detailing program activities, number of youths served, and outcomes achieved.

• Sunsets the program on June 30, 2025, unless extended by the legislature.