S.B. 1059 Summary

• Establishes a small business assistance initiative within the state procurement office to help small businesses compete for state contracts, with focus on veteran-, native Hawaiian-, and women-owned businesses.

• Creates a small business assistance coordinator position (exempt from civil service) within the state procurement office responsible for maintaining a statewide small business database, managing registration and certification processes, and producing annual participation reports.

• Requires the state procurement office to contract with a Hawaii-based small business advocacy group (preferably minority- or women-owned) to operate a small business office providing training, outreach, workshops, and technical assistance to small business vendors.

• Establishes a small business advisory group composed of small business advocates from state agencies and non-profit entities to review initiative progress, make recommendations for permanent rules, and submit annual reports to the legislature on small business participation metrics and goals.

• Appropriates funds for fiscal years 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 for the state small business database, the small business assistance coordinator position, and the contracted small business office (specific amounts left blank in bill text).