Indiana Small Business Day 2023: Small Business Owners Share Stories, Make Voices Heard

March 13, 2023

Legislators Hear Key Small Business Issues, Promise to Lower Small Business Healthcare Costs

Indiana Small Business Day 2023: Small Business Owners Share Stories, Make Voices Heard

NFIB’s Annual Small Business Day was a successful event on March 7. Members from around the state gathered at the Indiana State Capitol to share their stories, small business priorities and concerns. A big topic of conversation was the high cost of health care and the need for more competition and transparency.

Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray, Speaker of the House Todd Huston, and Senate Majority Floor Leader Chris Garten spoke to Indiana small business owners during Small Business Day.

Stopping by to speak with small business owners were special guests Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch, Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray, Speaker of the House Todd Huston, Senate Majority Floor Leader Chris Garten, Rep. Steve Bartels and Rep. Robb Greene.

NFIB supports and is in favor of bills that promote transparency and competition in health care to help lower costs. If Indiana hospital prices were lowered to the national average, Hoosier families would save about $2,500 per year. Hoosiers pay 20-25% above the national average for hospital care in Indiana where the cost of living is 9% lower than average. NFIB is lobbying lawmakers to pass HB 1003, which allows employers to receive a tax credit if they offer their employees non-traditional health care plans known as Individual Coverage Heath Reimbursement Arrangements (ICHRAs). SB 6 is an NFIB priority bill that will prohibit hospital facility fees in doctor office settings and reduce incentives for hospitals to acquire independent physicians’ offices. NFIB State Director Natalie Robinson hosted the event, thanking members and legislators for coming together to hear each other out. Robinson is the liaison between small business owners and lawmakers at the Capitol on a daily basis. She’s there at countless hearings and committee meetings to ensure your interest are represented, you know what’s happening at the Statehouse, and that legislators who have never run a small business understand what you’re going through.

Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray addresses NFIB members with Senate Majority Floor Leader Chris Garten as State Director Natalie Robinson listens.

One of NFIB’s legislative priorities has already passed this year so small business owners can reap the benefits when filing their 2022 tax returns. Senate Bill 2 provides a state and local tax, or SALT, deduction on federal returns for many small businesses in Indiana. The legislation will provide significant tax relief to small businesses, resulting in an estimated $50 million in annual tax savings. It also levels the playing field by allowing small businesses to qualify for tax deductions that large corporations already receive.