SENATE BILL No. 1108

 

 

May 1, 2012, Introduced by Senators BOOHER, HUNTER, PAPPAGEORGE and SMITH and referred to the Committee on Banking and Financial Institutions.

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1986 PA 89, entitled

 

"Michigan BIDCO act,"

 

by amending the title and sections 104, 105, 203, 301, 303, 401,

 

and 403 (MCL 487.1104, 487.1105, 487.1203, 487.1301, 487.1303,

 

487.1401, and 487.1403), sections 104, 105, 301, 303, 401, and 403

 

as amended by 1997 PA 150, and by adding sections 304 and 304a.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     TITLE

 

     An act to promote economic development by providing for the

 

licensing and regulation of business and industrial development

 

corporations; to prescribe the powers and duties of certain public

 

officers and agencies; to provide for the promulgation of rules; to

 

provide remedies and penalties; and to repeal certain acts and


 

parts of acts.

 

     Sec. 104. (1) "Affiliate" means, if used with respect to a

 

specified person other than a natural person, a person controlling

 

or controlled by that specified person, or a person controlled by a

 

person who that also controls the specified person.

 

     (2) "BIDCO" means a business and industrial development

 

company licensed under this act. The term includes a business

 

development enterprise.

 

     (3) "Business development enterprise" means a business and

 

industrial development company that meets all of the following:

 

     (a) Has as part of its business plan the public policy

 

objective of providing or facilitating the availability of capital

 

to businesses in this state that have 750 or fewer employees, and

 

may have 1 or more additional public policy objectives.

 

     (b) Is licensed under this act.

 

     (c) Is designated as a qualified business development

 

enterprise by the Michigan strategic fund under section 304.

 

     (4) (3) "Business firm" means a person that transacts business

 

on a regular and continual basis, or a person that proposes to

 

transact business on a regular and continual basis.

 

     (5) (4) "Commissioner" means the commissioner of the financial

 

institutions bureau of the department of consumer and industry

 

services. office of financial and insurance regulation in the

 

department of licensing and regulatory affairs.

 

     (6) (5) "Control" means, if used with respect to a specified

 

person, the power to direct or cause the direction of, directly or

 

indirectly through 1 or more intermediaries, the management and


 

policies of that specified person, whether by contract, other than

 

a commercial contract for goods or nonmanagement services, or

 

otherwise. A natural person shall not be is not considered to

 

control a person solely on account of being because he or she is a

 

director, officer, manager, or employee of that person. A person

 

who, that, directly or indirectly, has the power to vote or direct

 

the voting of 20% or more of the total ownership vote , shall be is

 

rebuttably presumed to control that entity.

 

     (7) (6) "Controlling person" means, if used with respect to a

 

specified person, a person who that controls that specified person,

 

directly or indirectly through 1 or more intermediaries.

 

     Sec. 105. (1) "Incorporating statute" means the business

 

corporation act, 1972 PA 284, MCL 450.1101 to 450.2098, the

 

nonprofit corporation act, 1982 PA 162, MCL 450.2101 to 450.3192,

 

or the Michigan limited liability company act, 1993 PA 23, MCL

 

450.4101 to 450.5200.

 

     (2) "Insolvent" means a licensee that ceases to pay its debts

 

in the ordinary course of business, that cannot pay its debts as

 

they become due, or whose liabilities exceed its assets.

 

     (3) "Interests of the licensee" includes the interests of

 

shareholders of a licensee organized as a Michigan corporation and

 

members of a licensee organized as a Michigan limited liability

 

company.

 

     (4) "License" means a license issued under this act

 

authorizing a Michigan corporation or Michigan limited liability

 

company to transact business as a BIDCO. The term includes a BIDCO

 

license issued to a business development enterprise.


 

     (5) "Licensee" means a Michigan corporation or Michigan

 

limited liability company which is licensed that holds a license

 

under this act.

 

     (6) "Manager" means a person designated by the members of a

 

Michigan limited liability company to manage the limited liability

 

company as provided in its articles of organization or an operating

 

agreement.

 

     (7) "Member" means a person with that has an ownership

 

interest in a BIDCO organized as a Michigan limited liability

 

company.

 

     (8) "Michigan corporation" means a corporation incorporated

 

under the business corporation act, 1972 PA 284, MCL 450.1101 to

 

450.2098, or the nonprofit corporation act, 1982 PA 162, MCL

 

450.2101 to 450.3192.

 

     (9) "Michigan limited liability company" means a limited

 

liability company organized under the Michigan limited liability

 

company act, 1993 PA 23, MCL 450.4101 to 450.5200.

 

     (10) "Michigan nonprofit corporation" means a corporation

 

incorporated under the nonprofit corporation act, 1982 PA 162, MCL

 

450.2101 to 450.3192.

 

     (11) "Michigan strategic fund" means the Michigan strategic

 

fund as described in the Michigan strategic fund act, 1984 PA 270,

 

MCL 125.2001 to 125.2094.

 

     Sec. 203. (1) An application filed with the commissioner under

 

this act shall be in such a form and contain such information as

 

the commissioner may require.An applicant for a license under this

 

act shall file an application with the commissioner. Subject to


 

subsection (2), the commissioner shall establish the form of the

 

application and the information the applicant must provide on or

 

with the application form.

 

     (2) For purposes of section 303, an application for a license

 

under this act shall include a business plan. If the applicant is

 

applying for a license as a business development enterprise, the

 

business plan must include the public policy objective or

 

objectives described in section 104(3)(a).

 

     Sec. 301. A Michigan corporation or Michigan limited liability

 

company may apply to the commissioner for licensure as a BIDCO. a

 

license under this act. A person other than that is not a Michigan

 

corporation or Michigan limited liability company shall not apply

 

for, and the commissioner shall not grant, a license under this

 

act.

 

     Sec. 303. (1) After a review of information regarding the

 

directors, officers, managers, and controlling persons of the

 

applicant, a review of the applicant's business plan, including at

 

least 3 years of detailed financial projections and other relevant

 

information, and a review of additional information considered

 

relevant by the commissioner, the commissioner shall approve an

 

application for a license if, and only if, the commissioner

 

determines all of the following:

 

     (a) The applicant has a net worth, or firm financing

 

commitments that demonstrate that the applicant will have a net

 

worth when the applicant begins transacting business as a BIDCO, in

 

liquid form available to provide financing assistance, that is

 

adequate for the applicant to transact business as a BIDCO, as


 

determined under subsection (2).

 

     (b) Each director, officer, manager, and controlling person of

 

the applicant is of good character and sound financial standing, is

 

competent to perform his or her functions with respect to the

 

applicant, and that the directors, officers, and managers of the

 

applicant are collectively adequate to manage the business of the

 

applicant as a BIDCO.licensee.

 

     (c) It is reasonable to believe that the applicant, if

 

licensed, will comply with this act.

 

     (d) The applicant has reasonable promise of being a viable,

 

ongoing BIDCO and of satisfying the basic objectives of its

 

business plan.

 

     (e) If the applicant is or will be a Michigan limited

 

liability company, the applicant's operating agreement and business

 

plan are consistent with the objectives of promoting the stability

 

and viability of the applicant and will not impede the ability of

 

the applicant to retain any earnings or increases to fund balances

 

and borrow funds to support the applicant's continued operations.

 

The applicant's operating agreement or articles of organization

 

shall contain provisions as the commissioner considers necessary to

 

satisfy this subsection.

 

     (f) If the applicant is applying for a license as a business

 

development enterprise, the applicant has been designated as a

 

qualified business development enterprise by the Michigan strategic

 

fund under section 304.

 

     (2) In determining if the applicant has a net worth or firm

 

financing commitments adequate to transact business as a BIDCO


 

under subsection (1)(a), the commissioner shall consider the types

 

and variety of financing assistance that the applicant plans to

 

provide, the experience that the directors, officers, managers, and

 

controlling persons of the applicant have in providing financing

 

assistance and managerial assistance to business firms, the

 

financial projections and other relevant information from the

 

applicant's business plan, and whether the applicant intends to

 

operate as a profit or nonprofit corporation or as a limited

 

liability company. Except as otherwise provided in this act, For

 

purposes of subsection (1)(a), the commissioner shall require that

 

the applicant demonstrate that the applicant will have a net worth

 

when it begins transacting business that meets 1 of the following:

 

     (a) Unless subdivision (b) or (c) applies, a minimum net worth

 

of not less than $1,000,000.00 and not more than $10,000,000.00.

 

     (b) The commissioner may require a minimum net worth of less

 

than $1,000,000.00, but not less than $500,000.00, if, in the

 

context of the applicant's business plan, the initial

 

capitalization amount is adequate for the applicant to transact

 

business as a BIDCO because of special circumstances including, but

 

not limited to, funded overhead, low overhead, or specialized

 

opportunities.

 

     (c) If the applicant is applying for a license as a business

 

development enterprise, a minimum net worth and firm financing

 

commitments of not less than $25,000,000.00.

 

     (3) For the purposes of subsection (1), the commissioner may

 

find any of the following:

 

     (a) That a director, officer, manager, or controlling person


 

of an applicant is not of good character if the director, officer,

 

manager, or controlling person, or a director, officer, or manager

 

of a controlling person, has been convicted of or has pleaded nolo

 

contendere to a crime involving fraud or dishonesty.

 

     (b) That it is not reasonable to believe that an applicant, if

 

licensed, will comply with this act, if the applicant has been

 

convicted of or has pleaded nolo contendere to a crime involving

 

fraud or dishonesty.

 

     (4) For purposes of subsection (1), subsection (3) shall not

 

be considered to be the only grounds upon which the commissioner

 

may find that a director, officer, manager, or controlling person

 

of an applicant is not of good character or that it is not

 

reasonable to believe that an applicant, if licensed, will comply

 

with this act.

 

     Sec. 304. (1) Beginning January 1, 2012, the board of the

 

Michigan strategic fund may designate a Michigan corporation or

 

Michigan limited liability company as a qualified business

 

development enterprise under this section. The commissioner shall

 

not grant a license to an applicant for a license as a business

 

development enterprise under this act if the applicant has not

 

applied for and received a designation as a qualified business

 

development enterprise from the board of the Michigan strategic

 

fund.

 

     (2) An application for designation as a qualified business

 

development enterprise shall include all of the following:

 

     (a) A copy of the application and supporting documentation

 

submitted to the commissioner under section 301.


 

     (b) A copy of the applicant's articles of incorporation and

 

bylaws if the applicant is a Michigan corporation, or its articles

 

or organization and operating agreement if the applicant is a

 

Michigan limited liability company,

 

     (c) Documentation satisfactory to the board of the Michigan

 

strategic fund that the applicant meets the net worth requirements

 

of section 303(2)(c).

 

     (d) Information concerning the background and business

 

experience of the directors, officers, managers, and controlling

 

persons of the applicant.

 

     (e) A summary business plan, including at least 3 years of

 

detailed financial projections and other relevant information.

 

     (f) Any other information considered relevant by the board of

 

the Michigan strategic fund.

 

     (3) The board of the Michigan strategic fund shall apply the

 

following criteria in determining whether to designate a Michigan

 

corporation or Michigan limited liability company a qualified

 

business development enterprise:

 

     (a) Whether the size and composition of the board of the

 

applicant meets section 403.

 

     (b) Whether the business plan of the enterprise includes a

 

public policy objective or objectives acceptable to the board of

 

the Michigan strategic fund.

 

     (c) Whether the applicant has demonstrated to the satisfaction

 

of the board of the Michigan strategic fund that it will meet any

 

transparency, reporting, and accountability requirements

 

established by the board by rule with respect to the public policy


 

objective or objectives of the enterprise.

 

     (d) Whether the directors, officers, managers, and controlling

 

persons of the applicant have sufficient experience to demonstrate

 

to the satisfaction of the board of the Michigan strategic fund

 

that they have the ability to implement the proposed business plan

 

of the enterprise.

 

     (4) For purposes of section 303(1)(f), the board of the

 

Michigan strategic fund shall notify the commissioner if it

 

designates a Michigan corporation or Michigan limited liability

 

company a qualified business development enterprise under this

 

section.

 

     Sec. 304a. (1) A business development enterprise shall report

 

to the Michigan strategic fund at least annually the following

 

information for each business it supported, by providing or

 

facilitating the securing of capital, in the preceding 5-year

 

period:

 

     (a) The total amount of private capital secured by the

 

business from its support.

 

     (b) The estimated number of jobs the business created or

 

retained.

 

     (c) An estimate of the state and local tax collections

 

attributable to its support of that business.

 

     (2) The commissioner shall provide to the Michigan strategic

 

fund an annual summary report containing its assessment of the

 

financial condition of each business development enterprise. The

 

commissioner shall establish the form and contents of the report.

 

At a minimum, the report shall include an assessment of the


 

business development enterprise's ability to fund its operations in

 

the future.

 

     (3) A business development enterprise shall provide the

 

commissioner any information he or she reasonably requests in

 

connection with his or her assessment of the financial condition of

 

the business development enterprise and the preparation of the

 

report described in subsection (2).

 

     Sec. 401. (1) The Except as provided in subsection (2), the

 

name of each licensee shall include the word "BIDCO".

 

     (2) A business development enterprise is not required to

 

include the word "BIDCO" in its name.

 

     (3) A licensee shall not transact business under a name other

 

than its name.

 

     Sec. 403. (1) A licensee shall have a board of directors.

 

     (2) The board of directors of each a licensee that is not a

 

business development enterprise shall consist of not less than at

 

least 7 directors. All of the following apply to the board of

 

directors of a licensee that is a business development enterprise:

 

     (a) The board shall consist of at least 3 directors.

 

     (b) At least 1/3 of the members of the board shall be

 

individuals designated by the board of the Michigan strategic fund.

 

     (3) If the licensee is a Michigan limited liability company,

 

the board may consist of members who are not managers of the

 

licensee.

 

     (4) (2) The board of directors of a licensee shall hold a

 

meeting not less than at least once each calendar quarter.