SENATE BILL No. 1381

 

 

June 12, 2008, Introduced by Senator CHERRY and referred to the Committee on Commerce and Tourism.

 

 

 

     A bill to amend 1984 PA 270, entitled

 

"Michigan strategic fund act,"

 

by amending section 88f (MCL 125.2088f), as added by 2005 PA 225.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 88f. When creating programs for 21st century investments

 

under this chapter, the fund shall create and operate the venture

 

capital investment program. The fund board shall authorize

 

investments that shall invest only in or alongside a qualified

 

venture capital fund that invests primarily in early stage

 

businesses. The venture capital investment program shall do all of

 

the following:

 

     (a) Provide that the return on investment that is sought is

 

greater than the return on investment under the commercial loan

 


portion of the loan enhancement program to reflect the greater

 

risk.

 

     (b) Provide that the qualified venture capital fund will have

 

an amount at risk greater than the fund's investment.

 

     (c) Provide that a qualified venture capital fund is not

 

eligible to participate in a venture capital investment program

 

unless it operates or enters into an agreement for the operation of

 

a business development office in this state staffed with at least 1

 

full-time equivalent employee person who is actively seeking

 

opportunities for venture capital investments in businesses located

 

in this state unless the investment opportunity requested by the

 

qualified venture capital fund is targeted to a specific

 

transaction involving a competitive edge technology that will not

 

occur without the fund's investment as determined by the fund

 

board.

 

     (d) Provide that a qualified venture capital fund is not

 

eligible to participate in a venture capital investment program

 

unless it agrees to make venture capital investments in this state

 

at a percentage rate that is not less than the percentage rate that

 

the fund's investment in the qualified venture capital fund bears

 

to the total amount in the qualified venture capital fund.

 

     (e) Provide that a qualified venture capital fund is not

 

eligible to participate in a venture capital investment program if

 

its investment strategy provides for the breakup and liquidation of

 

businesses. The fund board shall make sure that the agreements with

 

a venture capital fund have the appropriate provisions to prohibit

 

the actions described in this subdivision.

 


     (f) Coordinate with the Michigan early stage venture

 

investment fund as defined in section 3 of the Michigan early stage

 

venture investment act of 2003, 2003 PA 296, MCL 125.2233, to

 

ensure that a continuum of venture capital is available in this

 

state.

 

     (g) Provide that 80% of the funds allocated to a venture

 

capital investment program shall focus on competitive edge

 

technologies.

 

     (h) Provide that a qualified venture capital fund may make

 

follow-up investments that were eligible for investment at the time

 

of initial investment but that subsequently may not be

 

characterized as an investment in an early stage business.