Bipartisan legislation recently introduced in the state House of Representatives would expand start-up fee exemptions to more small businesses.
The General Assembly provided for an exemption from certain state and local business start-up fees in Act 135 of 2016 for veteran-owned and reservist-owned small businesses.
House Bill 1905 would expand the current exemption to include disadvantaged, minority-owned, service-disabled veteran owned, and women-owned businesses. It also would include businesses with five employees or less, and would provide other small businesses with a partial exemption.
The bill also would require the Pennsylvania Department of State to report how many small businesses have benefited from the exemption.
“Not only are the majority of jobs in the United States created by small businesses, but they are also a major source of innovation, economic growth and national prosperity,” said state Rep. Marla Brown (R-Lawrence), who introduced the bill. “Eliminating and reducing these fees will spur the growth of our small businesses and create opportunities for new entrepreneurs from groups often under-represented in the Commonwealth.”
State Rep. Arvind Venkat (D-Allegheny) co-introduced the bill.
“As chairman of the Subcommittee on Small Business for the House Commerce Committee, I’m making it my priority to support small business in my district and in every county in Pennsylvania,” Brown said.
The bill was referred to a House committee for consideration.