JEFFERSON CITY, Mo – A special standing committee on national or international sales was held Wednesday in House hearing room seven. Bill 1495 was the main talking point of the committee, which was originally proposed by Rep. Noel Torpey R- Kansas City.
The official language included in the bill goes on to say it “Requires Missouri Technology Corporations to distribute money to specified early stage business development corporations for grants to newly formed businesses that have the potential for sales or development of new technologies”.
This bill, in the words of Torpey, is a “tweaked to be more constitutional” version of HB 813 from last year which contains most of the same language. The main difference being that the MTC would now award the grants as opposed to the Department of Economic Development.
Included in the specifics of HB 1495 is that the MTC will match funds raised in the amount of $2,000,000 by the communities of Missouri’s largest cities St. Louis, Kansas City, Springfield, and Columbia in particular. Each business that qualifies will then receive at most $200,000 for funding. In more rural areas two locations could become eligible, only $150,000 is needed to receive $500,000 for start up business.
Arch Grants is an organization that was at the hearing room to testify on behalf of Bill 1495. Representing Arch Grants during the hearing was Ginger Imster an executive director, and several small business owners that have grown under Arch Grants.
“In the end we’re a start up funding startups,” Imster said.
During its first year in 2012, Arch Grants gave funding to 15 Missouri startups in the form of $50,000, and other aid in the form of other business contacts for networking. Arch Grants went on to fund 30 startup businesses last year. Including giving an additional $100,000 in funding to two select businesses from its first year. Arch Grants plans to give the same additional funding to two select companies from 2013.
Another lobbyist on hand to testify on behalf of the proposed bill was Jim Farrell on behalf of the Downtown Partnership of St. Louis.
“This is for the infant businesses that are just getting started,” Farrell said.
Dheeraj Patri is a small business owner who benefited from Arch Grants was on hand to support HB 1495. After forming FoodEssentials Patri decided to run his business in the state of Illinois.
“To say we floundered in the state of Illinois is an understatement,” Patri said.
Since moving his business to St. Louis, Patri’s business has grown from three workers to 16.
“I’m here today to say we have a great education system in Missouri,” Patri said. “I think we have the ingredients in the midwest especially in Missouri to fuel this growth.”
Some one who was present at the hearing opposing HB 1495 was Susan Klein, who was present on behalf of Missouri Right to Life. Susan told House members at the hearing “we need to have pro life language on this bill”.
Several house members including Jeremy LaFaver D- Kansas City, stated that having pro-life language added to this bill was a non issue considering that “any money that goes through the MTC has pro life protective language in it” according to statute 196.1127.
A legislator that seemed to have less of an issue of adding pro life language to the bill was Rep. Lindell Shumake R- Hannibal : “It takes all the concern away… just do it”.
Torpey seemed to be offended by the proposal of having pro-life language added to his bill as he went on to say “In my viewpoint the Missouri Right to Life are being bullies”.
Torpey did make mention however that he is “100 percent pro-life”.
