(1) Industrial entities, agricultural business entities, business enterprises, or private sector firms which are members of a business network within the meaning of KRS 154.1-010 and businesses that compose the secondary wood products industry as defined in KRS 154.47-005(5), shall be given priority consideration under state economic development loan, grant, and incentive programs administered by the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority.
(2) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (1) of this section, highest priority consideration under state economic development loan, grant, and incentive programs administered by the authority shall be given to those projects that are located in counties of Kentucky which have had an average countywide rate of unemployment of fifteen percent (15%) or greater in the most recent twelve (12) consecutive months for which unemployment figures are available, on the basis of the final unemployment figures calculated by the Department of Workforce Development in the Education and Labor Cabinet.