Small business owners from across the Commonwealth met at the Massachusetts State House on June 18^th for a Small Business Summit. Participants were provided with an update on some of the major issues facing employers, then encouraged to meet with their lawmakers.

The Small Business Summit kicked off with a presentation from the Commissioner of the Massachusetts Division of Insurance, Michael Caljouw. He discussed the double-digit rate increase proposals filed by insurers and then fielded questions from small business owners. Rising health insurance costs is a top concern for employers as the struggle to provide affordable health benefits for their workers continues.

Senator Ryan Fattman stopped by to provide introductory remarks and offered some insight into the current legislative session.

The next segment featured a recap on the state’s unemployment insurance crisis. NFIB State Director Christopher Carlozzi and General Council for the Retailers Association of Massachusetts Ryan Kearney explained how employers are being forced to repay $5 billion in pandemic treated UI debt, $2.1B due to a state error. Solutions were offered to help erase the UI debt and reform the very broken UI system, historically ranked one of the worst in the nation.

Bill Ryan, who heads up the Mass Coalition for Sustainable Energy, demonstrated why energy bills went through the roof last winter. Ryan showed that the portion of your energy bill that increased was actually the result of energy/environmental policy passed by state lawmakers.

Jessica Moore, Director of Government Affairs for the Massachusetts Restaurant Association, concluded the program with an update on legislation that will finally allow businesses to pass the rising expense of credit card swipe fees to credit card users. Massachusetts is one of two states that prohibit convenience fees.

Following the program, business owners met with their elected officials urging them to lower healthcare costs, erase UI debt and reform the UI system, rein-in energy expenses, and oppose the bills that will drive up labor costs for employers. If you did not attend, we ask that you take a moment to send emails to your lawmakers through our Small Business Summit Issue Alert.