Commerce Committee
AN ACT CONCERNING INTERNATIONAL COMMERCE AND CERTAIN DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT REPORTS
SUMMARY: This act requires the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) commissioner to evaluate Connecticut's competitiveness as a place to do business and summarize her findings in the comprehensive annual report she submits to the governor and legislature. In doing so, she must evaluate:
1. how the state's programs and policies affect the economy and business environment,
2. the state's ability to retain and attract businesses,
3. other states' steps to improve their competitiveness, and
4. programs and policies the state could implement to improve its competitiveness.
This evaluation is in addition to the economic analysis the commissioner must include in the comprehensive report under already existing law. The analysis must assess how DECD's programs benefit the state's economy.
The comprehensive report, which is due February 1, annually consists of many formerly separate DECD reports. The act adds to the comprehensive report the separate DECD reports on two energy programs it administers—the Biodiesel Producer Incentive and the Fuel Diversification grant programs. Under prior law, annual reporting requirement applied to the latter if DECD selected an entity to administer the Fuel Diversification Grant Program. PA 09-234 eliminates this requirement.
EFFECTIVE DATE: July 1, 2009
BACKGROUND
Related Act
Among other things, PA 09-234 makes corresponding changes to the statutes governing the Biodiesel Producer Incentive and the Fuel Diversification grant programs. It eliminates the requirement that DECD prepare the report on the Biodiesel Distributors Grant Program in consultation with the entity DECD selected to run the program. It also eliminates the requirement that it submit the report to the Environment and Energy and Technology Committees.
The act also eliminates the reporting requirement that applies if DECD selects an entity to administer the Fuel Diversification Program. Under prior law, the entity had to submit annual reports to the commissioner about the program.
OLR Tracking: JR: JF: JL: DF