A proposed law to ease regulatory burdens on Colorado small businesses would be a big help if passed, said NFIB member Jim Noon.
The Regulatory Relief Act of 2017 would require state agencies to give Colorado businesses with fewer than 500 employees time to fix certain minor, first-time violations of rules. Instead of immediately receiving a fine for violating a rule, the business would get one month to fix the issue. Businesses could also request extra time to comply with the rule.
“I think this bill is absolutely terrific,” said Noon, owner of Centennial Container, a packaging supply company for wholesalers. “Right now they just want to fine you. It’ll make us sleep better at night.”
And Centennial Container is just one of the 572,546 small businesses in Colorado that could benefit from the bill.
Currently, many small businesses aren’t even aware of some rules until they receive a fine for breaking them.
“It’s about time that we give businesses a break and actually work with businesses to actually help them do what they do best, take care of their clients and customers and help them create more jobs and opportunity for Colorado’s citizens and workers,” said Sen. Tim Neville, one of the sponsors of the bill, in a promotional video.
The legislation would be particularly helpful in the technology, construction, and hospitality industries, Neville said.
The bill would apply to certain record keeping, data retention, and report filing matters, rather than safety violations.
