BILL NUMBER: SCR 41 ENROLLED BILL TEXT ADOPTED IN SENATE MAY 18, 2009 ADOPTED IN ASSEMBLY JUNE 24, 2009 INTRODUCED BY Senator Yee APRIL 29, 2009 Relative to California Microenterprise Development Month. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SCR 41, Yee. California Microenterprise Development Month. This measure would designate July 2009 and July of every year thereafter as Microenterprise Development Month. WHEREAS, Microenterprises, small businesses with fewer than five employees, comprise over 19 percent of California's employment, providing jobs for 3,305,272 people; and WHEREAS, Microenterprises produce jobs through all economic cycles, accounting for 77 percent of all new employment growth in the state from 2000 to 2003, inclusive, while larger employers lost 444,000 jobs; and WHEREAS, Women entrepreneurs make up 78 percent of those benefiting from microenterprise development; and WHEREAS, California recognizes that microenterprises stabilize the economies of California communities by providing local ownership and homegrown products and services; and WHEREAS, California recognizes that training in microenterprise propels people out of poverty and into economic growth; and WHEREAS, California recognizes the contributions of microentrepreneurs, who come from diverse cultures and backgrounds to live the American dream of owning their own businesses; and WHEREAS, California treasures the social, economic, and environmental contributions of its microentrepreneurs; and WHEREAS, California recognizes the importance of development, training, business counseling, and accessible credit to the success of microentrepreneurs; and WHEREAS, The California Association for Microenterprise Opportunity (CAMEO) is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization founded in 1993 to build California's capacity for microenterprise development; and WHEREAS, Microenterprise development is an essential component of every community hoping to inspire and promote entrepreneurship; and WHEREAS, California communities can stimulate the growth and successful entrepreneurship by fostering microenterprise development and by working together to promote outreach, advocacy, and education encouraging the growth of microenterprise and microentrepreneurship opportunities for Californians; now, therefore, be it Resolved by the Senate of the State of California, the Assembly thereof concurring, That the Legislature designates July 2009, and July of every year thereafter, as Microenterprise Development Month; and be it further Resolved, That the Secretary of the Senate transmit copies of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.