This September, lawmakers reconvened to hold committee hearings on a wide range of bills that could affect your small business. NFIB opposed these bills that will have a negative impact on your bottom line.

First, in an example of extreme overreach, several bills mandate that businesses with public accommodations, install changing stations in bathrooms. These are not just changing stations for infants or small children as one proposal requires the structure supporting weight of up to 350 lbs. Businesses are forced to go through a hardship process in order to seek waivers if certain parameters are met. NFIB submitted testimony in opposition to these bills.

Another piece of legislation NFIB opposed before the Committee on Children, Families, and Persons with Disabilities requires restaurants to print images of their meals on at least one menu, creating a burdensome new mandate for Massachusetts restaurants. Restaurants change their menus often (some even daily) making it unreasonable to comply with this new rule.

Additionally, NFIB voiced our opposition to a bill raising the corporate tax rate on businesses to fund public transit. Massachusetts recently dropped in national tax competitiveness rankings to 41st place this year as a result of the 2022 income tax surcharge. Massachusetts is already a high-cost state and should do nothing to further jeopardize our ability to compete and create an environment conducive to economic growth. The national Tax Foundation ranked Massachusetts as 12^th highest corporate tax rate in the nation. Further raising the corporate tax rates will have a chilling effect on the state’s economy.

Finally, NFIB offered testimony voicing our concerns with nearly 30 bills creating new health mandates that would drive up small business premium costs. The bills varied in subject matter, but no matter what the type of coverage, would make offering health care less affordable for small businesses. NFIB continues to ask that lawmakers refrain from piling on new health mandates to an already outrageously expensive healthcare system.