Substitute Senate Bill No. 1098
         Substitute Senate Bill No. 1098

              PUBLIC ACT NO. 97-135


AN ACT CONCERNING CONNECTICUT TRADE WITH AFRICA.


    Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and House of
Representatives in General Assembly convened:
    Section  1.  Section  32-501  of  the  general
statutes  is  repealed  and   the   following   is
substituted in lieu thereof:
    (a)  The  commissioner shall have jurisdiction
over  the  coordination   of   trade   development
activities  in  the  state. The commissioner shall
initiate,    conduct    and     coordinate     the
implementation   of  Department  of  Economic  and
Community  Development  programs  to  promote  and
assist  Connecticut  businesses with international
trade. The commissioner shall be  responsible  for
planning,   developing   and   administering  such
programs and may adopt regulations  in  accordance
with the provisions of chapter 54 to carry out the
purposes of sections 32-500 to 32-512, inclusive.
    (b) THE COMMISSIONER MAY GIVE PRIORITY IN SUCH
PROGRAMS TO PROMOTING  AND  ASSISTING  CONNECTICUT
BUSINESSES  WITH  REGARD  TO  TRADE  WITH  AFRICAN
COUNTRIES  WITH  WHOM   THE   UNITED   STATES  HAS
DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS. NOT  LATER  THAN  JANUARY 1,
1998, THE COMMISSIONER  MAY SUBMIT A REPORT TO THE
JOINT STANDING COMMITTEE  OF  THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY
HAVING  COGNIZANCE  OF  MATTERS  RELATING  TO  THE
DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC  AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT,
CONCERNING  HIS  PROGRESS   IN   IMPLEMENTING  THE
PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBSECTION.
    Sec.   2.   Section   32-503  of  the  general
statutes  is  repealed  and   the   following   is
substituted in lieu thereof:
    (a)  The  Connecticut   Development  Authority
shall  establish an  export  division  within  the
authority. The division  shall,  within  available
resources, provide: (1)  Working  capital loans to
small and medium-sized  companies which are unable
to obtain export  financing,  (2)  access for such
companies to existing  public  and  private export
lenders   and  other   export   funding   sources,
including,  but  not   limited   to,   transaction
financing, letters of  credit,  equity investments
and loan guarantees,  and (3) technical assistance
to such companies  in  obtaining  such  financing.
SUCH  EXPORT  DIVISION   MAY   GIVE   PRIORITY  TO
ASSISTING CONNECTICUT BUSINESSES  WITH  REGARD  TO
TRADE WITH AFRICAN  COUNTRIES WITH WHOM THE UNITED
STATES HAS DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS.
    (b)  On or before January 30, [1995] 1998, the
authority shall  submit  a  report  to  the  joint
standing  committee of the General Assembly having
cognizance  of  matters   relating   to   economic
development  on  the  progress of the authority in
carrying  out  the  purposes  of   this   section,
including a list of successful transactions.
    Sec.   3.   (NEW)    The    Commissioner    of
Administrative Services, in  conjunction  with the
Commissioner    of    Economic    and    Community
Development, may initiate  a  program  under which
they  shall (1)  identify  Connecticut  businesses
which (A) trade  with  African countries with whom
the United States has diplomatic relations and (B)
provide goods or  services  which  are required by
the  state  and  (2)  encourage  such  Connecticut
businesses to bid on such goods or services.
    Sec.  4.  This  act  shall take effect July 1,
1997.

Approved June 13, 1997