(A) As used in this section, "minority" has the same meaning as in section 184.17 of the Revised Code, except that the individual must be a resident of this state. The term also includes an economically disadvantaged individual who is a resident of this state.
(B) The Ohio air quality development authority shall conduct outreach activities in Ohio that seek to include minorities in the grant and loan program for advanced energy projects established under section 166.30 of the Revised Code. The outreach activities shall include the following, when appropriate:
(1) Identifying and partnering with historically black colleges and universities;
(2) Working with all institutions of higher education in the state to support minority faculty and students involved in science and engineering fields that address advanced energy projects;
(3) Developing a plan to contact by telephone minority-owned businesses and entrepreneurs and other economically disadvantaged businesses to notify them of opportunities to participate in the grant and loan program for advanced energy projects;
(4) Identifying minority professional and technical trade associations and economic development assistance organizations and notifying them of the grant and loan program for advanced energy projects;
(5) Partnering with regional technology councils to foster local efforts to support minority-owned technology businesses or otherwise identify networks of minority-owned technology businesses, entrepreneurs, and individuals operating locally;
(6) Identifying minority technology firms and notifying them of the opportunities that exist within the investment community, including the Ohio venture capital authority created under section 150.02 of the Revised Code.
(C) The authority shall publish an annual report that includes all of the following:
(1) Details of grants and loans awarded for advanced energy projects;
(2) The status of grant or loan recipients' projects funded in previous years;
(3) The amount of grants and loans awarded for projects in economically distressed areas, and if possible to ascertain, the impact of the grants or loans to those areas.
(D) To the extent possible, outreach activities described in this section shall be conducted in conjunction with the EDGE program created in section 123.152 of the Revised Code.
Effective Date: 2008 HB554 09-12-2008
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