The 2021 session of the General Assembly will begin on Tuesday, Jan. 12, and we’ll be tracking any bills that could have an impact on your small business. 

One of the most pressing issues facing lawmakers is what the state can do to help small businesses get through and recover from the economic downtown caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. One in four small businesses surveyed last month by the NFIB Research Center warned they may have to close within the next six months unless economic conditions improve. Specifically in Tennessee, expect debates over:

• A resolution to put a Right-to-Work Constitutional Amendment on the 2022 Ballot. Passage would enshrine the current RTW law (employment is not conditional on paying union dues)
• Various workers’ compensation and unemployment initiatives that could impact your business positively and negatively
• HB 38, which would establish new protections for taxpayers relying on guidance issued by the Department of Revenue

If you have any questions about small business legislation, contact NFIB State Director Jim Brown at jim.brown@NFIB.org.