30-16-201. Designation of small business licensing coordination center -- duties of center. The department shall administer a small business licensing coordination center. The small business licensing coordination center shall:

(1) document and analyze current licensing requirements, fees, and procedures;

(2) recommend elimination of unnecessary licensing requirements, administrative procedures, or forms or parts of forms that can be eliminated in the public interest;

(3) recommend efficient and effective improvements in the administration and enforcement of licensing laws, including gathering of information that facilitates the development of a permanent master license certificate;

(4) recommend revisions in the license fee structure to distribute the cost of licenses equitably and to provide financing for continuing improvements in licensing administration and enforcement;

(5) develop and upon request distribute information concerning state requirements for starting and operating a business in Montana;

(6) provide assistance to business enterprises to facilitate their compliance with state licensing requirements. The assistance required by this subsection includes a specific obligation for the center to immediately inform each business enterprise applying for a license that the business enterprise is required to obtain a business name from the secretary of state pursuant to Title 35 before any other state license application may be processed.

(7) maintain a supply of license and permit forms or applications for all licenses and actively assist the business community in answering application questions;

(8) maintain a master list of the business types existing in the state and a corresponding list of the licenses or permits needed to operate or start that type of business;

(9) maintain a copy of the Administrative Rules of Montana in order to provide an applicant with the basic rules of any agency with regard to licensing;

(10) encourage agencies to provide informational brochures through the center, especially in the case of complex licensing procedures;

(11) maintain contact with licensing agencies in order to enable the center to assist an applicant with setting up appointments or otherwise facilitate the application process; and

(12) perform other administrative tasks delegated to the center to improve state business license administration.

History: En. Sec. 4, Ch. 453, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 744, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 66, Ch. 51, L. 1999; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 427, L. 2005.