By Logan B. Anderson

DOVER — A bill set to be introduced in the Delaware General Assembly aims to speed up the time some projects are approved on the county level to help attract employers to the First State.

“Time is money,” said Rep. Mike Smith, R-Pike Creek, a prime sponsor of the proposed legislation.

“That is not just a trite cliché, it’s a guiding doctrine for many businesses. Organizations looking to site a new facility are going to favor those venues where it is less expensive to build and where they can quickly start revenue-producing operations.”

Rep. Smith announced the planned legislation on Tuesday.

Called the Bring Jobs to Delaware Act, the bill would require New Castle, Kent, and Sussex counties to adopt an expedited review process for certain proposed development projects.

The fast-track review would apply to properties zoned for office, business park, manufacturing or industrial use. The project also would need to create more than 75,000 square feet of new space and produce at least 60 full-time, permanent jobs to receive the sped-up process.

Residential or commercial retail projects would not be eligible.

The practices spawned by the bill would set a six-month timeline for an application’s completion from the time a project’s land-use plan was submitted.

In that six-month period, county officials would have to review, make final approvals and record the land-use plan. The mandate placed on the counties would be contingent on them having received all necessary permits and approvals from non-county agencies.

Rep. Smith said his bill does not involve cutting any corners. “It only requires county and state officials to make a commitment to thoroughly review qualifying proposals in a workable timeline,” he said.

Municipalities would not be subject to the bill which currently only urges state agencies involved in the approval process to work faster. Recognizing that lagging state agency participation could hamper expedited approvals, the bill would require state officials to use their “best efforts to timely review and comment on plans,” Rep. Smith said.

Some state lawmakers saw a different version of The Bring New Jobs to Delaware Act, but it was introduced on the last day of the 150th General Assembly in June 2020 before action could be taken. The 151st General Assembly session ends this June.

The previous version, House Bill 361, was sponsored by Rep. Bill Bush, D-Dover. Rep. Smith was a cosponsor of that legislation.

“The original prime sponsor of the bill introduced it at that time to present the concept and with the understanding it would be revisited this session,” Rep. Smith said.

In its first incarnation, the effort was sponsored by both Democrats and Republicans in the House of Representatives and Senate.

“It seems like every state legislator has a story about losing a project in their district because of bureaucratic foot-dragging,” Rep. Smith said.

He expects similar bipartisan support for the effort this time around and has invited all lawmakers to sponsor or co-sponsor the bill.

In his announcement last week, the Pike Creek Republican acknowledged that the effort isn’t a sure thing when it comes to economic development and business attraction.

“We can’t offer the economic incentives many states can to lure new employers here, but we can streamline our processes and be more welcoming to businesses. I think we’ve lost our edge in that respect.” Rep. Smith said.

Rep. Smith did not give an exact day when he plans to introduce the measure.