Oklahoma § 74-8303 - Rural Action Partnership Program – Duties – Annual

§ 74-8303. Rural Action Partnership Program – Duties – Annual

evaluation - Purpose.

A. There is hereby created within the Oklahoma Department of

Commerce the Rural Action Partnership Program.

B. The Rural Action Partnership Program shall be responsible

for coordinating and assisting in:

1. Establishing a statewide toll free telephone program to serve

as a point of first contact between persons, business entities,

groups, associations, organizations, state and local government

officials and others for purposes of facilitating contact with

service providers, providing information regarding primarily rural

economic development entities, programs, resources and activities

and to provide assistance to persons, firms and representatives of

governmental entities attempting to establish or expand a for-profit

business in a rural area of the state;

2. Assisting in the coordination of primarily rural economic

development programs offered within the state;

3. Administering a rural economic development and employer

regional outreach program that divides the state into at least four

areas with each such area to be served by at least one rural

regional economic development coordinator who shall assist in the

establishment and coordination of rural economic development

partnerships;

4. The accumulation and organization of information to be used

as a rural economic development resource database, including, but

not limited to, contact information for persons, firms, groups,

organizations and others involved in rural economic development

issues, availability of federal, state and local incentive programs,

and, subject to available funding, the development and maintenance

of a rural development Internet web site to promote access to such

information;

5. A comprehensive survey of natural resources located or

available in primarily rural areas of the state in order to match

potential value-added business activity with such resources;

6. The sponsorship, with key economic development partners, of

periodic rural development summits or conferences for purposes of

communicating about the existence of the Rural Action Partnership

Program, availability of assistance, development of additional

services consistent with the mission of the Program and such matters

as may be conducive to improving the delivery of services with

respect to rural development programs and rural economic

development; and

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 74. State Government

7. Providing such services and developing such programs,

functions or initiatives that may be necessary for or that would

promote the development of rural resources and the rural economy.

C. The mission of the Rural Action Partnership Program shall be

to foster healthy and sustainable rural communities through small

business retention, expansion, and entrepreneurial development.

D. The primary emphasis for the regional economic development

outreach specialists shall be to serve the needs of the communities

or regions with declining populations or with economic indicators

that suggest additional information and resources would be of

benefit to improve the economic conditions of such community.

E. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce, in support of the

mission of the Rural Action Partnership Program, may request the

assistance of the Oklahoma Water Resources Board, Department of

Environmental Quality, Oklahoma Corporation Commission, Oklahoma Tax

Commission, Oklahoma Employment Security Commission, Oklahoma

Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry, Oklahoma Department

of Tourism, Department of Transportation, the Oklahoma State Regents

for Higher Education, the Oklahoma Department of Career and

Technology Education or such other agencies, boards, commissions,

departments or other entities of state government as may be required

in order to assist with the implementation of the programs for which

the Rural Action Partnership Program is responsible.

F. The Oklahoma Department of Commerce shall conduct an annual

evaluation of the Rural Action Partnership Program. Not later than

December 31, 2007, the Executive Director of the Oklahoma Department

of Commerce shall make a report regarding the actions and functions

of the Rural Action Partnership Program to the Governor, Speaker of

the Oklahoma House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore

of the State Senate. The report shall summarize the activity and

results of the Program and may contain recommendations for changes

in the functions of the Program, including changes in funding.

Added by Laws 2004, c. 471, § 1, eff. July 1, 2004.