The National Federation of Independent Business/Florida today announced its 2017 Legislative Priorities, with workers’ comp reform, business tax relief, tort reform and modernizing healthcare leading the agenda.
“Remedying the broken workers’ comp system is our top legislative priority,” said Bill Herrle, NFIB/Florida Executive Director. “When the Florida Supreme Court invalidated the cap on attorneys’ fees in workers’ comp cases, small business owners’ rates went through the roof, along with trial attorneys’ returns. The proposal we’ve brought forth along with our friends in the business community will require each party to pay their own attorneys’ fees, and creates a public records exemption for injured workers’ to limit trial attorneys from preying on injured workers. This heeds the Court’s guidance while stemming the skyrocketing rates.”
NFIB is also focusing on cutting the business rent tax for small business owners.
“It’s time to give small business owners some tax relief on their business leases,” Herrle said. “Florida is the only state that charges this tax, and it directly impedes business owners’ abilities to hire more employees, offer more benefits or grow their business.”
Among NFIB’s other top priorities is passing direct primary care legislation, which will lower healthcare costs and increase healthcare access for businesses and their employees. Small business will also be addressing the oppressive lawsuit abuse that plagues the small business community.
“The threat of increased liability exposure has never been greater for small business owners,” Herrle said. “We’re seeing a surge in pro-trial lawyer legislation, and we’ll be fighting to protect small business owners from everything from the increased litigation costs that will result from prejudgment interest legislation, to the creation of even more new causes of action through which business owners can be sued.”
See the full agenda here.
