NFIB's New York State Director Testifies at Small Business Hearing

Date: May 20, 2020

Explains inequity of business closures in testimony

On Wednesday, May 13, NFIB’s New York State Director Greg Biryla testified at the joint Senate and Assembly video conference hearing concerning the federal response to COVID-19’s impact on small businesses in New York. This was the first hearing held since the Legislature left Albany after passing the budget at the beginning of April.

NFIB’s prepared testimony highlighted our members’ experiences with the federal PPP and EIDL loan programs but primarily focused on what New York State’s Senators and Assembly members could do now to help small businesses. In more than an hour’s worth of testimony and answering questions, NFIB stressed the importance of improving communication and access to information between state agencies and businesses, flexibility in health and safety protocols, avoiding new burdens and costs, and executing a reopening strategy that is fast, full, and most importantly, fair for small businesses.  

The Buffalo News reported on the hearing and NFIB’s call for the economic reopening to be implemented fairly and communicated properly.

“We have seen large, big box retailers able to operate through this entire crisis,” Biryla told lawmakers Wednesday. “We have seen small businesses, with very similar operations, not be able to operate while their competitors are continuing to bring in revenue.”

NFIB’s New York office continues to fight for small businesses, especially against the inherent inequities created by essential business designations that permit large, multi-state chain retailers to continue operations.

Click here to read NFIB’s prepared testimony and click here to watch a recording of the hearing.

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