The 2023-24 Massachusetts legislative session is officially underway. Lawmakers filed 6,574 individual pieces of legislation and, so far, NFIB is tracking 947 bills that could impact small businesses.
The bills range in subject matter and include taxation, healthcare, regulations, energy, labor mandates, and economic development.
There are bills file that would:
- Raise the minimum wage to $20 per hour and end the tipped wage for restaurants.
- Mandate discounts must be offered to customers if they use an automated checkout system.
- Enact single-payer, government run healthcare.
- Increase taxes again this session, despite additional revenue growth being projected again next year.
While a good deal of the proposals being presented will hurt small businesses in Massachusetts, many could be beneficial as well. These include:
- Lowering income, sales, and other tax rates.
- Reining in energy expenses.
- Addressing rising healthcare costs.
- Making it easier to operate as a self-employed individual.
- Lessening regulatory burdens.
NFIB will continue to advocate for small businesses across the Commonwealth as these bills move through the legislative process. Be sure to look for updates and alerts on key pieces of legislation.
