<section article="gec" article_name="Economic Development" number="16-101" title_number="16" title_name="Purple Line Construction Zone Grant Program" subtitle_number="1"> <level label="a"> <text>In this title the following words have the meanings indicated.</text> </level> <level label="b"> <text>“Grant Program” means the Purple Line Construction Zone Grant Program.</text> </level> <level label="c"> <text>“Qualified small business” means a sole proprietorship, a partnership, a limited partnership, a limited liability partnership, a limited liability company, or a corporation that:</text> <level label="1"> <text>employs 20 or fewer employees;</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>is independently owned and operated;</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>is not a subsidiary of another business;</text> </level> <level label="4"> <text>is not dominant in its field of operation; and</text> </level> <level label="5"> <text>is impacted by the construction of the Purple Line light rail project in Montgomery County and Prince George’s County.</text> </level> </level> </section> <section article="gec" article_name="Economic Development" number="16-102" title_number="16" title_name="Purple Line Construction Zone Grant Program" subtitle_number="1"> <level label="a"> <level label="1"> <text>There is a Purple Line Construction Zone Grant Program.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>The purpose of the Grant Program is to provide funds to Montgomery County and Prince George’s County to provide assistance to qualified small businesses to assist in offsetting business revenue lost as a result of the construction of the Purple Line light rail project in those counties.</text> </level> <level label="3"> <text>In each of fiscal years 2023 and 2024, the Department of Commerce shall provide $1,000,000 in general funds to the Grant Program to assist qualified small businesses.</text> </level> </level> <level label="b"> <level label="1"> <text>The Department of Commerce shall implement the Grant Program.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>The Department shall distribute funds provided for the Grant Program based on the number of qualified small businesses located in Montgomery County and Prince George’s County.</text> </level> </level> <level label="c"> <text>A county that receives funds under this section shall implement a process for awarding grants to eligible qualified small businesses.</text> <level label="d"> <level label="1"> <text>The Department of Commerce may distribute funding in accordance with subsection (b) of this section and a county may award grants until all the money allotted for the Grant Program has been distributed or awarded or until December 31, 2024, whichever occurs first.</text> </level> <level label="2"> <text>Any money that has not been distributed or awarded on or before December 31, 2024, shall revert to the Maryland Economic Development Assistance Fund.</text> </level> </level> </level> </section>