On April 18, Small Business Majority CEO John Arensmeyer testified before the California Senate Committee on Banking and Financial Institutions in support of SB 1235, which would create regulations for new sources of alternative lending in California. The testimony explained that such regulation is widely supported by small business owners, as it would protect them from predatory lending practices.
Policy Statements
The most surprising development in Maryland this month wasn’t a snowstorm but the fact that the General Assembly and Gov. Larry Hoganput politics aside to pass a lawthat will rescue the state’s entrepreneurs and small business employees from skyrocketing health care costs.
Maryland lawmakers just approved a bill that will curb the cost of health insurance premiums for 150,000 residents through a $380 million reinsurance program. That's money that can be used by insurers to pay for some of the costliest claims made by customers who purchased insurance through Maryland’s health insurance marketplace. States like Maryland are looking at these programs because they can help stabilize premiums in the individual marketplace by helping to compensate insurers for their most expensive customers.
Small Business Majority voiced opposition against the proposed rule change that would permit insurers to sell “short-term” health insurance plans that provide coverage for up to 364 days, well beyond the three months currently permitted by the Affordable Care Act. Short-term health insurance is meant to fill a gap in an individual’s coverage in the instance of job loss or other life change.
California Director Mark Herbert testified before the Assembly Committee on Health to voice support for proactive solutions to ensure all of California’s small businesses and self-employed entrepreneurs have access to quality, affordable healthcare. AB 2459 would significantly improve affordability for thousands of middle-income individuals and families, including many entrepreneurs and small business employees.
Mid-Atlantic Outreach Director Erik Rettig tesitified before the Senate Committee on Labor & Industry to provide the small business perspective on the Pennsylvania Family Medical Leave Act, or Joanne’s Law (SB 479), and its impact on the more than 2.4 million small businesses employees in Pennsylvania. Joanne’s Law would allow eligible employees to use up to six weeks of unpaid leave to care for their sibling, grandparent or grandchild, as long as that person has no living spouse, parent under 65 or child over 17.
Mark Herbert, California Director for Small Business Majority, testified in front of California's State Senate in support of SB 910, which would clarify that short-term limited duration health insurance cannot be sold in California and bolster health insurance markets. The legislation is meant to protect the robustness of the individual marketplace, which is vitally important for owners and employees of small businesses without group coverage, especially the roughly three million solo-entrepreneurs in California.
Small Business Majority voiced supports for California Bill SB 1021, which which would extend the cap on prescription drug copays indefinitely by eliminating sunset provisions on current law. The cap is currently set to expire in 2019.
Small Business Majority CEO John Arensmeyer testifies before the U.S. House Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions on how the U.S. Department of Labor's proposed changes to association health plans could hurt the small group market for health insurance.
Small Business Majority submitted a letter of support for California's Truth in Lending Act (SB 1235) under consideration by the California Senate. This bill would require standard disclosure methods for the terms of a loan offered to a business, allowing a small business owner to make a better informed decision about loan offers.
Mark Herbert, California Director for Small Business Majority, submitted a letter in support of the California Prompt Payment bill (AB 1552), which would require all public utilities to promptly pay vendors that submit valid invoices. Prompt payment measures such as this will help small businesses compete more effectively in bidding processes for contracts. The bill requires that public utilities will be required to pay vendor invoices within 30 days.