§ 212. Reporting. The department shall:

1. Monitor the performance of each entrepreneurial assistance center and require quarterly and annual reports from each entrepreneurial assistance center at such time and in such a manner as prescribed by the commissioner.

2. Evaluate the entrepreneurial assistance centers established under this article and report annually, on or before January first, two thousand twenty, and on or before each January first thereafter, and submit the results of such evaluation to the governor and the legislature. Such report shall discuss the extent to which the centers serve minority group members, women, individuals with a disability, dislocated workers and veterans; the extent to which the training program is coordinated with other assistance programs targeted to small and new businesses; the ability of such program to leverage other sources of funding and support; and the success of the program in aiding entrepreneurs to start up new businesses, including the number of new business start-ups resulting from the program. Such report shall recommend changes and improvements in the training program and in the quality of supplemental technical assistance offered to graduates of the training programs. The report shall be made available to the public on the department's website.

3. Submit to the director of the division of the budget, the chairperson of the senate finance committee and the chairperson of the assembly ways and means committee an evaluation of the effectiveness of the programs established under this article prepared by an entity independent of the department. Such evaluation shall be submitted by January first, two thousand twenty-one and by January first every two years thereafter.

4. Between evaluation due dates, maintain the necessary records and data required to satisfy such evaluation requirements and to satisfy information requests received from the director of the budget, the chairperson of the senate finance committee and the chairperson of the assembly ways and means committee between such evaluation due dates.