NFIB State Director Leah Long says small business owners are urging lawmakers to reject House Bill 585, legislation that would impose costly and cumbersome government mandates and legal liabilities on many small retailers across Louisiana.

The measure, known as the Discount Retailer Workforce Safety and Retention Act, would require shops that sell low-cost household goods and other everyday items to conduct workplace violence risk assessments, create written safety plans, document incidents, and take additional steps such as installing panic buttons or increasing staffing after multiple incidents at a store.

“Small business owners take employee safety seriously, but this bill creates a one-size-fits-all mandate that would increase costs and paperwork for retailers already operating on thin margins,” Long said.

The legislation would also allow employees to bring civil lawsuits against employers for alleged violations of the law, including the recovery of attorney fees.

“Small retailers are often the only convenient place for people to buy groceries, medicine, and other essentials in many communities,” Long said. “Adding new mandates and exposing businesses to more lawsuits will make it harder for them to stay open and serve their customers.”

Long said lawmakers should focus instead on addressing crime and improving public safety rather than placing new regulatory burdens on small businesses.