A. Qualified business firms and qualified zone investors shall be eligible to receive enterprise zone incentive grants provided for in this chapter to the extent that they apply for and are approved for grant allocations through the Department.

B. If the sum of (i) the total amount of grants for which qualified business firms are eligible under § 59.1-547 plus (ii) the total amount of grants for which qualified zone investors are eligible under § 59.1-548 exceeds the total annual appropriation for the payment of all grants under this chapter for the relevant year, then the amount of the grant that each qualified business firm and qualified zone investor is eligible for shall be prorated in a proportional manner. The Department shall prioritize allocations to fully fund the grants under § 59.1-547 with any remaining funds to be allocated to grants under § 59.1-548. In such cases, the amount of the grant that each qualified zone investor is eligible for under § 59.1-548 shall be prorated in a proportional manner based on the funds remaining in the annual appropriation after full payment of the grants under § 59.1-547.

C. Qualified zone businesses and qualified zone investors shall make application to the Department each year for which they seek eligibility for enterprise zone incentive grants. Such application is to be in accordance with regulations promulgated by the Board on forms supplied by the Department and in accordance with dates specified by the Department.

D. The accuracy and validity of information on qualified real property investments, permanent full-time positions, wage rates and provision of health benefits provided in such applications are to be attested to by an independent certified public accountant licensed in Virginia through an agreed-upon procedures engagement conducted in accordance with attestation standards established by the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, using procedures provided by the Department. Business firms with base year employment of 100 or fewer permanent full-time positions and that create in a qualification year 25 or fewer grant eligible positions seeking to qualify for Job Creation Grants as provided for in § 59.1-547 shall be exempt from the attestation requirement for that qualification year. The permanent full-time positions, wage rates, and provision of health benefits of such business firms shall be subject to verification by the Department.

E. Applicants for enterprise zone incentive grants under this chapter must have the local zone administrator verify that the location of their business or property is in the enterprise zone using a form supplied by the Department. The local zone administrator shall make this verification in accordance with dates specified by the Department.

F. The Department may at any time review qualified zone businesses and qualified zone investors to assure that information provided in the application process is accurate.

G. Qualified zone businesses shall maintain all documentation regarding qualification for enterprise zone job creation grants for at least one year after the final year of their five-year grant period. Qualified zone investors shall maintain all documentation regarding qualification for enterprise zone incentive grants for a minimum of three years following the receipt of any grant.

H. Enterprise zone incentive grants that do not have adequate documentation regarding qualified real property investments, permanent full-time positions, wage rates and provision of health benefits may be subject to repayment by the qualified zone business or qualified zone investor.

I. Actions of the Department relating to the approval or denial of applications for enterprise zone incentive grants under this chapter shall be exempt from the provisions of the Administrative Process Act pursuant to subdivision B 4 of § 2.2-4002.

2005, cc. 863, 884; 2009, cc. 207, 271; 2010, c. 328; 2011, cc. 202, 320.