[Congressional Bills 114th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 1000 Reported in Senate (RS)]

                                                       Calendar No. 110
114th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                S. 1000

   To strengthen resources for entrepreneurs by improving the SCORE 
                    program, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 16, 2015

  Mr. Risch (for himself, Mr. Coons, Ms. Ayotte, Mr. Peters, and Mr. 
Udall) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred 
        to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

                             June 10, 2015

               Reported by Mr. Vitter, with an amendment
 [Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed 
                               in italic]

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To strengthen resources for entrepreneurs by improving the SCORE 
                    program, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

<DELETED>SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    This Act may be cited as the ``SCORE for Small Business 
Act of 2015''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 2. SCORE REAUTHORIZATION.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 20 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 note) 
is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) by redesignating subsection (j) as subsection 
        (f); and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by adding at the end the following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(g) SCORE Program.--There are authorized to be 
appropriated to the Administrator to carry out the SCORE program 
authorized by section 8(b)(1) such sums as are necessary for the 
Administrator to make grants or enter into cooperative agreements in a 
total amount that does not exceed $10,500,000 in each of fiscal years 
2016, 2017, and 2018.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 3. SCORE PROGRAM.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    Section 8 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637) is 
amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in subsection (b)(1)(B), by striking ``a 
        Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)'' and inserting 
        ``the SCORE program described in subsection (c)''; 
        and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the 
        following:</DELETED>
<DELETED>    ``(c) SCORE Program.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(1) Definition.--In this subsection, the term 
        `SCORE program' means the SCORE program authorized by 
        subsection (b)(1)(B).</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(2) Volunteers.--A volunteer participating in 
        the SCORE program shall--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) based on the business experience and 
                knowledge of the volunteer--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) provide at no cost to 
                        individuals who own, or aspire to own, small 
                        business concerns personal counseling, 
                        mentoring, and coaching relating to the process 
                        of starting, expanding, managing, buying, and 
                        selling a business; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) facilitate low-cost 
                        education workshops for individuals who own, or 
                        aspire to own, small business concerns; 
                        and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) as appropriate, use tools, 
                resources, and expertise of other organizations to 
                carry out the SCORE program.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(3) Plans and goals.--The Administrator, in 
        consultation with the SCORE Association, shall ensure that the 
        SCORE program and each chapter of the SCORE program develop and 
        implement plans and goals to more effectively and efficiently 
        provide services to individuals in rural areas, economically 
        disadvantaged communities, and other traditionally underserved 
        communities, including plans for electronic initiatives, web-
        based initiatives, chapter expansion, partnerships, and the 
        development of new skills by volunteers participating in the 
        SCORE program.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) Annual report.--The SCORE Association shall 
        submit to the Administrator an annual report that contains--
        </DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) the number of individuals counseled 
                or trained under the SCORE program;</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) the number of hours of counseling 
                provided under the SCORE program; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) to the extent possible--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) the number of small business 
                        concerns formed with assistance from the SCORE 
                        program;</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) the number of small 
                        business concerns expanded with assistance from 
                        the SCORE program; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(iii) the number of jobs created 
                        with assistance from the SCORE 
                        program.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(5) Privacy requirements.--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(A) In general.--Neither the 
                Administrator nor the SCORE Association may disclose 
                the name, address, or telephone number of any 
                individual or small business concern receiving 
                assistance from the SCORE Association without the 
                consent of such individual or small business concern, 
                unless--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) the Administrator is ordered 
                        to make such a disclosure by a court in any 
                        civil or criminal enforcement action initiated 
                        by a Federal or State agency; or</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) the Administrator 
                        determines such a disclosure to be necessary 
                        for the purpose of conducting a financial audit 
                        of the SCORE program, in which case disclosure 
                        shall be limited to the information necessary 
                        for the audit.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(B) Administrator use of information.--
                This paragraph shall not--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) restrict the access of the 
                        Administrator to program activity data; 
                        or</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) prevent the Administrator 
                        from using client information to conduct client 
                        surveys.</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    ``(C) Regulations.--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(i) In general.--The 
                        Administrator shall issue regulations to 
                        establish standards for--</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    ``(I) disclosures with 
                                respect to financial audits under 
                                subparagraph (A)(ii); and</DELETED>
                                <DELETED>    ``(II) conducting client 
                                surveys, including standards for 
                                oversight of the surveys and for 
                                dissemination and use of client 
                                information.</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    ``(ii) Maximum privacy 
                        protection.--The regulations issued under this 
                        subparagraph shall, to the extent practicable, 
                        provide for the maximum amount of privacy 
                        protection.''.</DELETED>

<DELETED>SEC. 4. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.</DELETED>

<DELETED>    (a) Small Business Act.--The Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
631 et seq.) is amended--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) in section 7(m)(3)(A)(i)(VIII) (15 U.S.C. 
        636(m)(3)(A)(i)(VIII)), by striking ``Service Corps of Retired 
        Executives'' and inserting ``SCORE program''; and</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) in section 22 (15 U.S.C. 649)--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in subsection (b)--</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (i) in paragraph (1), by striking 
                        ``Service Corps of Retired Executives'' and 
                        inserting ``SCORE program''; and</DELETED>
                        <DELETED>    (ii) in paragraph (3), by striking 
                        ``Service Corps of Retired Executives'' and 
                        inserting ``SCORE program''; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in subsection (c)(12), by striking 
                ``Service Corps of Retired Executives'' and inserting 
                ``SCORE program''.</DELETED>
<DELETED>    (b) Other Laws.--</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (1) Section 621 of the Children's Health Insurance 
        Program Reauthorization Act of 2009 (15 U.S.C. 657p) is 
        amended--</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (A) in subsection (a), by striking 
                paragraph (4) and inserting the following:</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    ``(4) the term `SCORE program' means the SCORE 
        program authorized by section 8(b)(1)(B) of the Small Business 
        Act (15 U.S.C. 637(b)(1)(B));''; and</DELETED>
                <DELETED>    (B) in subsection (b)(4)(A)(iv), by 
                striking ``Service Corps of Retired Executives'' and 
                inserting ``SCORE program''.</DELETED>
        <DELETED>    (2) Section 337(d)(2)(A) of the Energy Policy and 
        Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6307(d)(2)(A)) is amended by 
        striking ``Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)'' and 
        inserting ``SCORE program''.</DELETED>

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``SCORE for Small Business Act of 
2015''.

SEC. 2. SCORE REAUTHORIZATION.

    Section 20 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 note) is 
amended--
            (1) by redesignating subsection (j) as subsection (f); and
            (2) by adding at the end the following:
    ``(g) SCORE Program.--There are authorized to be appropriated to 
the Administrator to carry out the SCORE program authorized by section 
8(b)(1) such sums as are necessary for the Administrator to make grants 
or enter into cooperative agreements in a total amount that does not 
exceed $10,500,000 in each of fiscal years 2016, 2017, and 2018.''.

SEC. 3. SCORE PROGRAM.

    (a) In General.--Section 8 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 
637) is amended--
            (1) in subsection (b)(1)(B), by striking ``a Service Corps 
        of Retired Executives (SCORE)'' and inserting ``the SCORE 
        program described in subsection (c)''; and
            (2) by striking subsection (c) and inserting the following:
    ``(c) SCORE Program.--
            ``(1) Definition.--In this subsection, the term `SCORE 
        program' means the SCORE program authorized by subsection 
        (b)(1)(B).
            ``(2) Volunteers.--A volunteer participating in the SCORE 
        program shall--
                    ``(A) based on the business experience and 
                knowledge of the volunteer--
                            ``(i) provide at no cost to individuals who 
                        own, or aspire to own, small business concerns 
                        personal counseling, mentoring, and coaching 
                        relating to the process of starting, expanding, 
                        managing, buying, and selling a business; and
                            ``(ii) facilitate low-cost education 
                        workshops for individuals who own, or aspire to 
                        own, small business concerns; and
                    ``(B) as appropriate, use tools, resources, and 
                expertise of other organizations to carry out the SCORE 
                program.
            ``(3) Plans and goals.--The Administrator, in consultation 
        with the SCORE Association, shall ensure that the SCORE program 
        and each chapter of the SCORE program develop and implement 
        plans and goals to more effectively and efficiently provide 
        services to individuals in rural areas, economically 
        disadvantaged communities, and other traditionally underserved 
        communities, including plans for electronic initiatives, web-
        based initiatives, chapter expansion, partnerships, and the 
        development of new skills by volunteers participating in the 
        SCORE program.
            ``(4) Annual report.--The SCORE Association shall submit to 
        the Administrator an annual report that contains--
                    ``(A) the number of individuals counseled or 
                trained under the SCORE program;
                    ``(B) the number of hours of counseling provided 
                under the SCORE program; and
                    ``(C) to the extent possible--
                            ``(i) the number of small business concerns 
                        formed with assistance from the SCORE program;
                            ``(ii) the number of small business 
                        concerns expanded with assistance from the 
                        SCORE program; and
                            ``(iii) the number of jobs created with 
                        assistance from the SCORE program.
            ``(5) Privacy requirements.--
                    ``(A) In general.--Neither the Administrator nor 
                the SCORE Association may disclose the name, address, 
                or telephone number of any individual or small business 
                concern receiving assistance from the SCORE Association 
                without the consent of such individual or small 
                business concern, unless--
                            ``(i) the Administrator is ordered to make 
                        such a disclosure by a court in any civil or 
                        criminal enforcement action initiated by a 
                        Federal or State agency; or
                            ``(ii) the Administrator determines such a 
                        disclosure to be necessary for the purpose of 
                        conducting a financial audit of the SCORE 
                        program, in which case disclosure shall be 
                        limited to the information necessary for the 
                        audit.
                    ``(B) Administrator use of information.--This 
                paragraph shall not--
                            ``(i) restrict the access of the 
                        Administrator to program activity data; or
                            ``(ii) prevent the Administrator from using 
                        client information to conduct client surveys.
                    ``(C) Regulations.--
                            ``(i) In general.--The Administrator shall 
                        issue regulations to establish standards for--
                                    ``(I) disclosures with respect to 
                                financial audits under subparagraph 
                                (A)(ii); and
                                    ``(II) conducting client surveys, 
                                including standards for oversight of 
                                the surveys and for dissemination and 
                                use of client information.
                            ``(ii) Maximum privacy protection.--The 
                        regulations issued under this subparagraph 
                        shall, to the extent practicable, provide for 
                        the maximum amount of privacy protection.''.
    (b) Offset.--In carrying out the Entrepreneurship Education Program 
during each of fiscal years 2016, 2017, and 2018, the Administrator of 
the Small Business Administration--
            (1) may not obligate more than $5,000,000; and
            (2) may not obligate less than $2,500,000 of the amount 
        obligated for the Entrepreneurship Education Program to carry 
        out the Emerging Leaders Initiative.

SEC. 4. TECHNICAL AND CONFORMING AMENDMENTS.

    (a) Small Business Act.--The Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 631 et 
seq.) is amended--
            (1) in section 7(m)(3)(A)(i)(VIII) (15 U.S.C. 
        636(m)(3)(A)(i)(VIII)), by striking ``Service Corps of Retired 
        Executives'' and inserting ``SCORE program''; and
            (2) in section 22 (15 U.S.C. 649)--
                    (A) in subsection (b)--
                            (i) in paragraph (1), by striking ``Service 
                        Corps of Retired Executives'' and inserting 
                        ``SCORE program''; and
                            (ii) in paragraph (3), by striking 
                        ``Service Corps of Retired Executives'' and 
                        inserting ``SCORE program''; and
                    (B) in subsection (c)(12), by striking ``Service 
                Corps of Retired Executives'' and inserting ``SCORE 
                program''.
    (b) Other Laws.--
            (1) Section 621 of the Children's Health Insurance Program 
        Reauthorization Act of 2009 (15 U.S.C. 657p) is amended--
                    (A) in subsection (a), by striking paragraph (4) 
                and inserting the following:
            ``(4) the term `SCORE program' means the SCORE program 
        authorized by section 8(b)(1)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 
        U.S.C. 637(b)(1)(B));''; and
                    (B) in subsection (b)(4)(A)(iv), by striking 
                ``Service Corps of Retired Executives'' and inserting 
                ``SCORE program''.
            (2) Section 337(d)(2)(A) of the Energy Policy and 
        Conservation Act (42 U.S.C. 6307(d)(2)(A)) is amended by 
        striking ``Service Corps of Retired Executives (SCORE)'' and 
        inserting ``SCORE program''.
                                                       Calendar No. 110

114th CONGRESS

  1st Session

                                S. 1000

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL

   To strengthen resources for entrepreneurs by improving the SCORE 
                    program, and for other purposes.

_______________________________________________________________________

                             June 10, 2015

                       Reported with an amendment