Amend the bill in section 1 in §13056-G in subsection 1 by striking out all of paragraphs A to D (page 1, lines 12 to 26 in L.D.) and inserting the following:
‘ A. "Collaborative workspace" means coworking, shared working environments that promote collaboration, interaction, socialization and coordination among tenants through the clustering of multiple businesses or individuals within the shared work environment.
B. "Collaborative workspace business" means a corporation, partnership, limited liability corporation, professional corporation or other legal business entity recognized under the laws of the State engaging or proposing to engage in economic activity within the State.
C. "Fund" means the Maine Coworking Development Fund established in this section.
D. "Participant" means a sole proprietorship, business partnership or corporation operating a business for profit through which the owner accesses business development services in a collaborative workspace.
E. "Tenant" means a sole proprietorship, business partnership or corporation operating a business for profit and leasing or otherwise occupying collaborative workspace from a collaborative workspace business.
F. "Transformative development" means redevelopment on a scale and of a character capable of catalyzing significant follow-on private investment, leading over time to transformation of an entire downtown or urban neighborhood and consistent with local plans. Transformative development may involve major investment in new construction, rehabilitation and adaptive reuse or multiple smaller investments on a sustained basis.’
Amend the bill in section 1 in §13056-G in subsection 2 in paragraph A by striking out all of subparagraphs (4) and (5) (page 2, lines 3 to 8 in L.D.) and inserting the following:
‘ (4) Support partnerships between municipalities, property owners and collaborative workspace businesses to establish such collaborative workspaces; and
’ (5) Require such collaborative workspaces to provide shared space that promotes the interaction, socialization and coordination among tenants and participants through the clustering of multiple tenants and participants within the collaborative workspace;
Amend the bill in section 1 in §13056-G in subsection 3 in paragraph A in the 2nd line (page 2, line 33 in L.D.) by inserting after the following: " workspace" the following: ' tenants and'
Amend the bill in section 1 in §13056-G in subsection 3 in paragraph B in subparagraph (6) in the last line (page 3, line 14 in L.D.) by striking out the following: " businesses or individuals that will be served as a result of the project; and" and inserting the following: ' tenants and participants that will be served as a result of the project;'
Amend the bill in section 1 in §13056-G in subsection 3 in paragraph B in subparagraph (7) in the last line (page 3, line 18 in L.D.) by striking out the following: " occupants." and inserting the following: ' tenants;'
Amend the bill in section 1 in §13056-G in subsection 3 in paragraph B by inserting after subparagraph (7) the following:
‘ (8) A description of the ability of the collaborative workspace business to carry out the provisions of this section;
(9) A summary of the proposed economic impact of the collaborative workspace on the community;
(10) A description of plans for conformance with regional and local economic development plans, if such plans exist; and
’ (11) A statement of the proximity of the collaborative workspace to an accredited Maine community college, college or university, as defined in Title 20-A, section 12541, subsection 1.
Amend the bill in section 1 in §13056-G by striking out all of subsection 4 (page 3, lines 26 to 30 in L.D.) and inserting the following:
Amend the bill by striking out all of section 2 (page 3, lines 31 to 36 and page 4, lines 1 to 4 in L.D.) and inserting the following:
‘Sec. 2. Appropriations and allocations. The following appropriations and allocations are made.
ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, DEPARTMENT OF
Maine Coworking Development Fund N193
Initiative: Provides base allocations in the event funds are received from private or public sources.
| OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS |
2015-16 |
2016-17 |
|
All Other
|
$500 |
$500 |
|
 |
|
| OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS TOTAL |
$500 |
$500 |
Maine Coworking Development Program N192
Initiative: Provides funds to support collaborative workspace businesses.
| GENERAL FUND |
2015-16 |
2016-17 |
|
All Other
|
$250,000 |
$250,000 |
|
|
|
| GENERAL FUND TOTAL |
$250,000 |
$250,000 |
| ECONOMIC AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, DEPARTMENT OF |
|
|
| DEPARTMENT TOTALS |
2015-16 |
2016-17 |
|
|
|
|
GENERAL FUND
|
$250,000 |
$250,000 |
|
OTHER SPECIAL REVENUE FUNDS
|
$500 |
$500 |
|
|
|
| DEPARTMENT TOTAL - ALL FUNDS |
$250,500 |
$250,500 |
’
SUMMARY
This amendment is the minority report of the committee and it makes the following changes to the bill.
1. It adds new definitions for "participant" and "tenant."
2. It provides additional criteria for collaborative workspaces to receive awards from the Maine Coworking Development Fund by the Department of Economic and Community Development.
3. It adds additional duties for a collaborative workspace business that receives assistance from the fund.
4. It adds additional annual reporting requirements for the department.
This amendment also replaces the appropriations and allocations section in the bill.
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED
(See attached)