COVID-19 liability protections for employers and allowing small business owners to deduct forgiven PPP loan expenses on their Florida taxes top NFIB’s state legislative agenda for 2021. The legislature will gavel into session on Tuesday, March 2.

TAKE ACTION: Tell your legislators to support COVID-19 liability protections for small businesses

Other issues of importance to Florida’s small business community include litigation finance reform, reducing the regulatory burden on home-based businesses and stabilizing the state’s workers’ comp system.

“The pandemic gutted Florida’s economy, especially the hospitality sector,” NFIB State Director Bill Herrle said. “Businesses had to reduce hours and limit services, and some employers that intended to close temporarily wound up closing for good.

“Sixty percent of the small business owners surveyed last month by the NFIB Research Center said they didn’t think the nation’s economy would fully recover until 2022 at the earliest, and 15 percent warned they might not last another six months unless conditions improve soon,” Herrle said.

“That’s why it’s essential that the Florida legislature address these issues,” Herrle said. “We need the legislature to do everything it can to help small businesses get through this crisis so they can once again grow and continue to create jobs.”

Click here to download NFIB’s complete 2021 Legislative Agenda.