Substitute Senate Bill No. 380
          Substitute Senate Bill No. 380

              PUBLIC ACT NO. 98-223


AN ACT ESTABLISHING  A NEIGHBORHOOD REVITALIZATION
ZONE ADVISORY BOARD.


    Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and House of
Representatives in General Assembly convened:
    Section 1. (NEW)  (a)  There  is established a
Neighborhood Revitalization Zone  Advisory  Board.
The board shall  consist  of  the following voting
members: (1) The Secretary of the Office of Policy
and  Management;  (2)   the   President   of   the
Connecticut Institute of  Municipal  Studies;  (3)
the chancellor of the Regional Community-Technical
Colleges; (4) the  heads  of  those state agencies
deemed appropriate by the secretary; (5) the chief
executive officer of  a  municipality  in  which a
neighborhood    revitalization    zone    planning
committee, pursuant to  chapter 118 of the general
statutes, was established  on  or  before  July 1,
1998, and (6) one member of each such neighborhood
revitalization zone planning  committee  appointed
by  the  chief   executive   officer   based  upon
recommendations   submitted   to   him   by   such
committee. In a  municipality having more than one
neighborhood    revitalization    zone    planning
committee,  each  committee   shall   submit   its
recommendations to the chief executive officer and
he shall choose  the  board member to be appointed
from  such recommendations.  Each  member  of  the
board may designate  a  person to represent him on
said board. The  membership  of the board shall be
increased  on  September  1,  1999,  and  annually
thereafter, to reflect the addition of a municipal
chief  executive  officer   and   a  member  of  a
neighborhood    revitalization    zone    planning
committee having been established in the preceding
twelve months, in  a  municipality  not previously
represented on said  board.  The  members  of  the
board shall serve without compensation.
    (b)  The Secretary of the Office of Policy and
Management shall serve as chairman  of  the  board
and  shall  convene the first meeting of the board
not later than September 1, 1998. At  the  meeting
the  board  shall  adopt bylaws for the conduct of
its business. Subsequent to said  meeting  or  any
continuation  thereof,  the  board shall meet on a
quarterly  basis.  The  Office   of   Policy   and
Management  shall  provide  staff  support  to the
board.
    (c)   The  board  shall  promote  neighborhood
self-sufficiency  and  economic  development   and
assist  neighborhood  revitalization zone planning
committees   in   developing   and    implementing
strategic    plans.    The    board   shall   make
recommendations  regarding  the  disbursement   of
moneys  in  accordance with subsection (d) of this
section. The board may serve  as  a  clearinghouse
for  information about neighborhood revitalization
zones, including information on (1) linkages  with
technical experts for the development of strategic
plans, (2) innovative neighborhood success models,
and  (3)  training and mentoring opportunities for
members of  neighborhood  revitalization  planning
zone   committees.  The  board  may  also  conduct
seminars    or    conferences    and     establish
collaborative  partnerships with public or private
entities, including, but not limited to, financial
institutions,      nonprofit      or     religious
organizations, state and private  institutions  of
higher learning and libraries.
    (d)    There   is   created   a   neighborhood
revitalization zone  grant-in-aid  program  to  be
administered  by  the  Secretary  of the Office of
Policy  and  Management,  for   the   purpose   of
providing  financial assistance for the benefit of
neighborhood    revitalization    zone    planning
committees.   Such  financial  assistance,  within
available  appropriations,  shall  be   used   for
activities      that      promote     neighborhood
organizational development,  economic  development
and   business  planning,  specialized  curriculum
development,  leadership  training,  the  use   of
technology,  property  management, landlord-tenant
relations, intergovernmental  relations  and  such
other   activities   as   the   board   may   deem
appropriate.   The    secretary    shall    review
recommendations   regarding  the  disbursement  of
moneys  made  by  the  board  and  shall  make   a
determination  concerning  the  awarding  of  such
financial assistance. Upon making a determination,
the   secretary   shall   certify   to  the  State
Comptroller the amount payable and  the  recipient
of  such  grant. Not later than fifteen days after
such certification, the  State  Comptroller  shall
draw  his  order  on  the State Treasurer, and not
later than  fifteen  days  thereafter,  the  State
Treasurer  shall  pay  such  grant.  The secretary
shall not certify a grant in an  amount  exceeding
ten thousand dollars.
    (e)  The  board  shall  periodically monitor a
recipient's use of  such  grant,  to  ensure  full
compliance  with  the  provisions of this section.
Each grant recipient shall, for a  period  of  two
years  following  receipt of such moneys, maintain
all invoices, purchase orders and  other  evidence
of expenditures related to the use of such grant.
    Sec.  2.  This  act  shall take effect July 1,
1998.

Approved June 8, 1998