A year into the pandemic, many small businesses in Illinois continue to struggle to keep their doors open. While government funding programs have provided a crucial lifeline for many businesses, one-off funding opportunities are not going to be enough to support the long-term recovery of our small business economy. The proposed Illinois Earned Income Credit (EIC) expansion would help address this by closing the gaps in federal funding relief programs and putting more money into the pockets of low-income and working-class Illinoisans.
Policy Statements
Small Business Majority joined the California Labor Federation, AFL-CIO, Health Access California and Purchaser Business Group on Health (PBGH) in their support of the Office of Health Care Affordability, which would set enforceable targets for health care costs across the full spectrum of health care costs.
Small Business Majority network member Stacey Carpenter, Owner of Barnyard Buddies Family Childcare, testified before the Colorado House Public & Behavioral Health and Human Services Committee in support of HB 21-1222, which would require all family child care homes (FCCH) to be classified as residences for purposes of licensure and local regulations, including zoning, land use development, fire and life safety, and building codes.
Small Business Majority submitted a letter to the California Assembly Health Committee Chairman Jim Wood in support of AB 1132, which will discourage anticompetitive behaviors in the healthcare industry. This bill will strengthen oversight over hospital mergers and consolidation by the Attorney General, a key measure to control healthcare costs and affordability for small business owners.
Small Business Majority wrote to the Colorado Senate House Health & Insurance Committee in support of HB 21-1232, which would establish a standardized health insurance option, thus offering more accessible and affordable health coverage for small businesses.
On March 17, Small Business Majority submitted a letter to the Senate Health & Human Services Committee in support of the proposed prescription drug affordability board in Colorado, which would help lower the cost of drug prescriptions for small business owners and enable wider access to life-saving medication.
Colorado Director Lindsey Vigoda testified to the Colorado House Business Affairs & Labor Committee in support of House Bill 21-1167, which would cap retainage for all public and private entities at 5% and allow small construction and subcontract firms to be more competitive against larger firms.
Small Business Majority wrote to the Georgia Senate Finance Committee to request that language establishing a state earned income tax credit (EITC) be added to HB 593, the Tax Relief Act of 2021. This would put money directly in the pockets of small business owners and stimulate local economies.
Small Business Majority submitted a letter to the Georgia Senate Finance Committee to ask them to remove legislation implementing a CAPCO tax credit program from HB 587, which would provide $150 million worth of tax credits to “certified capital companies.” The CAPCO model is fundamentally flawed and this money would be much better spent directly supporting Georgia's small businesses.
Today, Small Business Majority submitted a letter to the U.S. House Committee on Small Business urging for members to immediately pass the PPP Extension Act of 2021, which would extend the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) application period to May 31, 2021 and allow the U.S. Small Business Administration to process loans until June 30, 2021. Congress must pass the PPP Extension Act of 2021 immediately so that small businesses can acquire adequate funding to keep their doors open during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.