(A) As used in this section, "small business" has the same meaning as in section 107.63 of the Revised Code.

(B) The LeanOhio office in the department of administrative services shall establish and operate an entrepreneur in residence pilot program. The mission of the entrepreneur in residence pilot program is to provide for better outreach by state government to small businesses, to strengthen coordination and interaction between state government and small businesses, and to make state government programs and functions simpler, easier to access, more efficient, and more responsive to the needs of small businesses.

(C) Not later than the first day of the seventh month after the effective date of this section, the LeanOhio office shall appoint not more than five entrepreneurs in residence from among individuals who are successful in their fields and shall make reasonable efforts to market the entrepreneur in residence program across the state and attract participation from entrepreneurs with various backgrounds, including female entrepreneurs, minority business enterprises as defined in section 122.71 of the Revised Code, and owners of EDGE business enterprises as defined in section 123.152 of the Revised Code. The LeanOhio office may give preference to individuals who have achieved quantifiable improvements using LeanOhio tools and strategies such as lean six sigma and individuals who have achieved a black belt or master black belt certification from the LeanOhio office or an equivalent certification from a private sector office or entity.

The appointment of an entrepreneur in residence is for one year.

The office shall monitor the work of entrepreneurs in residence during the pilot program.

An entrepreneur in residence serves at the pleasure of the LeanOhio office, and the office may discharge without cause an entrepreneur in residence.

(D) The duties of an entrepreneur in residence may include any or all of the following:

(1) Assisting the LeanOhio office in facilitating and developing the scope of lean process improvement events throughout state government;

(2) Assisting the LeanOhio office in holding follow-up meetings to ensure the improvements developed at lean process improvement events are implemented;

(3) Participating in strategic planning efforts for the LeanOhio office or other areas of state government;

(4) Assisting the LeanOhio office with presentations on opportunities for state government to become more efficient and effective;

(5) Facilitating meetings with businesses, state agencies, and local governments that may be affected by process improvements recommended by the LeanOhio office;

(6) Assisting the LeanOhio office in providing continuous improvement training to state employees.

(E) An entrepreneur in residence shall report directly to the LeanOhio office.

An entrepreneur in residence is not entitled to compensation or any reimbursement from the LeanOhio office for expenses the entrepreneur in residence incurs in discharge of the entrepreneur in residence's duties.

(F)

(1) Not later than the date that is one year after an entrepreneur in residence was appointed, the entrepreneur in residence shall prepare a report about the entrepreneur's experiences in the program. In the report, the entrepreneur in residence shall make recommendations to the LeanOhio office that further the mission of the entrepreneur in residence program. In particular, the entrepreneur in residence shall make recommendations regarding all of the following:

(a) Elimination of inefficient or duplicative programs or functions of state government that affect small businesses;

(b) Methods of improving the efficiency of the programs or functions of state government that affect small businesses;

(c) Any new program or function affecting small businesses that should be established and implemented by state government;

(d) Any other matter that will further the mission of the entrepreneur in residence pilot program.

The entrepreneur in residence shall provide a copy of the report to the LeanOhio office.

(2) During or upon conclusion of the entrepreneur in residence pilot program, the LeanOhio office may convene an informal working group of entrepreneurs in residence to discuss best practices, experiences, and opportunities for and obstacles to operating small businesses as well as the recommendations in the reports prepared by the entrepreneurs in residence.

(G) Upon conclusion of the entrepreneur in residence pilot program, and after considering the reports of the entrepreneurs in residence and information learned from any informal working group, the LeanOhio office shall prepare a report on the entrepreneur in residence pilot program. In the report, the office shall recommend whether the entrepreneur in residence pilot program should be repeated with or without modifications, made permanent with or without modifications, or abandoned. The office shall append the reports of the entrepreneurs in residence to its report. If the pilot program is repeated or made permanent, an individual who previously was assigned as an entrepreneur in residence shall not be reassigned as an entrepreneur in residence.

The LeanOhio office shall provide a copy of its report to the common sense initiative office. The common sense initiative office promptly shall transmit a copy of the report to the officials designated in the last paragraph of section 107.55 of the Revised Code.

Added by 130th General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 218, §1, eff. 3/3/2015.