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2016 SESSION

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SB 459 Virginia Collaborative Economic Development Act; established.

Introduced by: Frank M. Ruff, Jr. | Richard L. Saslaw | all patrons    ...    notes | add to my profiles | history

SUMMARY AS ENACTED WITH GOVERNOR'S RECOMMENDATION:

Virginia Collaborative Economic Development Act. Creates the Virginia Collaborative Economic Development Performance Grant Fund (the Fund). The Fund will be administered by the Go Virginia Board. Two or more localities that collaborate and adopt a collaborative economic development plan will be eligible for grants from the Fund over a period of six years if the collaboration results in the location or expansion of a company in the Commonwealth that (i) creates at least 200 new jobs with average salaries at least equal to the average wage and (ii) makes a capital investment of at least $25 million. The total amount of the grant applied for shall not exceed 50 percent of the total investment of the localities in executing the collaborative economic development plan, and each annual installment of the grant may not exceed 45 percent of the total annual amount of personal income tax withheld by the certified company from the newly created jobs. Upon making a written finding of significant fiscal distress in or extraordinary economic opportunity for the participating localities, the Go Virginia Board may lower the job and capital investment requirements to no fewer than 25 new jobs and no less than $1 million in capital investment and may award up to 100 percent of the total investment of the localities. No grants shall be awarded absent a subsequent enactment of the General Assembly authorizing the award of the grants, and the grant program will sunset on July 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 846.

SUMMARY AS PASSED:

Virginia Collaborative Economic Development Act. Creates the Virginia Collaborative Economic Development Performance Grant Fund (the Fund). The Fund will be administered by a policy board created by legislation adopted by the 2016 Session of the General Assembly with a legislatively stated purpose of promoting collaborative regional economic development and workforce development opportunities (the Go Virginia Board). If no such board is created, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership (the Partnership) will administer the Fund. Two or more localities that collaborate and adopt a collaborative economic development plan will be eligible for grants from the Fund over a period of six years if the collaboration results in the location or expansion of a company in the Commonwealth that (i) creates at least 200 new jobs with average salaries at least equal to the the average wage and (ii) makes a capital investment of at least $25 million. The total amount of the grant applied for shall not exceed the total investment of the localities in executing the collaborative economic development plan, and each annual installment of the grant may not exceed 50 percent of the total annual amount of personal income tax withheld by the certified company from the newly created jobs. Upon making a written finding of significant fiscal distress in or extraordinary economic opportunity for the participating localities, the Go Virginia Board (or the Partnership if the Board does not exist) may lower the job and capital investment requirements to no fewer than 25 new jobs and no less than $1 million in capital investment and may award up to 100 percent of the total investment of the localities. The grant program will sunset on July 1, 2026. This bill is identical to HB 846.

SUMMARY AS PASSED SENATE:

Virginia Collaborative Economic Development Act. Creates the Virginia Collaborative Economic Development Performance Grant Fund (the Fund). Two or more localities in the same region that collaborate and adopt a collaborative economic development plan will be eligible for grants from the Fund over a period of six years if the collaboration results in the location or expansion of a company in the Commonwealth that (i) creates at least 200 net new jobs and (ii) makes a capital investment of at least $25 million. If a majority of localities involved in the project have an unemployment rate that exceeds the state average unemployment rate by one-half percent, or a poverty rate greater than the statewide average, then a company will only have to create 25 net new jobs and make a capital investment of at least $1 million to be eligible for the grants. The total amount of the grant applied for shall not exceed the total investment of the localities in executing the collaborative economic development plan, and each annual installment of the grant may not exceed 45 percent of the total annual amount of personal income tax withheld by the certified company from the newly created jobs. The Fund will be administered by a policy board created by legislation adopted by the 2016 Session of the General Assembly with a legislatively stated purpose of promoting collaborative regional economic development and workforce development opportunities. If no such board is created, the Virginia Economic Development Partnership will administer the Fund.

SUMMARY AS INTRODUCED:

Virginia Collaborative Economic Development Act. Creates the Virginia Collaborative Economic Development Performance Grant Fund (the Fund). Two or more localities that collaborate and adopt a collaborative economic development plan will be eligible for grants from the Fund over a period of six years if the collaboration results in the location or expansion of a company in the Commonwealth that (i) creates at least 200 new jobs with average salaries at least 25 percent higher than the average wage and (ii) makes a capital investment of at least $25 million. The total amount of the grant applied for shall not exceed the total investment of the localities in executing the collaborative economic development plan, and each annual installment of the grant may not exceed 50 percent of the total annual amount of personal income tax withheld by the certified company from the newly created jobs. Of each annual installment of the grant, 85 percent will be distributed to the participating localities in accordance with the terms of the collaborative economic development plan, and 15 percent will be retained by the Virginia Economic Development Partnership to be used to enhance regional and statewide economic development marketing and promotion.