New Web Tool Helps State Lawmakers Create Business Friendly Climate

Advocacy’s New Web Page Offers A One-Stop For Proposed Legislation, Current
State Laws, Statistics, And Information

State legislators, small business owners, and
activists in the fight for economic development now have a new web tool in
their arsenal. Launched today, the Office of Advocacy’s web page on its
initiative for state regulatory policy offers a wealth of information on
current state laws, proposed legislation, statistics, information and much
more.

The new web tool, located at
http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/law_modeleg.html, is the latest step in Advocacy’s
promotion of small business friendly regulatory policy at the state level.
In December 2002, Advocacy presented draft model regulatory flexibility
legislation to the American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC) for
consideration by state legislators. ALEC endorsed the model legislation
earlier this year.

Since then many states have taken steps to encourage small business
friendly regulations. North Dakota and Colorado both enacted new
legislation and Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney signed an Executive
Order giving small businesses a voice in his state’s regulatory process.

The legislation, modeled after the federal Regulatory Flexibility
Act (RFA), would require state agencies to consider their impact on small
business before imposing regulatory mandates. By listening to small
businesses, state agencies can ensure that small business resources that
would have been spent on over burdensome new regulations are instead
available for hiring new employees and making new investments. At the same
time, agencies still meet their regulatory goals such as higher
environmental quality, greater travel safety, better workplace conditions,
and increased family financial security.

Currently, states offer a patchwork of laws that protect small
business owners and their employees from excessive regulatory mandates.
Some states offer protections similar to the RFA that mirror the role of
the Office of Advocacy. Other states offer little or no protection from
the one-size-fits-all regulatory mentality.

For more information on small business friendly regulation for
states, visit the new Office of Advocacy web page at
http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/law_modeleg.html.
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Created by Congress in 1976, the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small
Business Administration (SBA) is an independent voice for small business
within the federal government. Appointed by the President and confirmed by
the U.S. Senate, the Chief Counsel for Advocacy directs the office. The
Chief Counsel advances the views, concerns, and interests of small business
before Congress, the White House, federal agencies, federal courts, and
state policy makers. Economic research, policy analyses, and small
business outreach help identify issues of concern. Regional Advocates and
an office in Washington, DC, support the Chief Counsel’s efforts. For more
information on the Office of Advocacy, visit http://www.sba.gov/advo, or call
(202) 205-6533.

** Visit Advocacy’s Regulatory Alerts page to learn about and comment on
proposed federal rules that may affect small business:
http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/law_regalerts.html. **

** In order to receive e-mail notices of Advocacy’s news releases, monthly
newsletter, small business research, statistics, and regulatory
communications visit http://web.sba.gov/list. **