NRA Joins Retail Group To Protect Small Businesses

The National Restaurant Association has joined forces with the National Retail Federation in backing legislation that would require federal agencies to consider the impact on small businesses when establishing rules and regulations.

HR527, the Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2011, would give the Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy more oversight authority and amend the Regulatory Flexibility Act to require federal agencies to consider the economic impact on small businesses when setting regulations.

Last week, the House Small Business Committee held a markup of HR527 and the Small Business Size Standard Flexibility Act of 2011 (HR 585).  Together, the bills will close loopholes used by agencies to avoid compliance with the RFA, require a better assessment of the impacts that regulations will have on small businesses, force agencies to perform better periodic review of rules, and grant the Small Business Administration greater powers to enforce the RFA.

The legislation was introduced last February after President Obama signed an executive order requiring agencies to review business regulations and streamline or eliminate them where possible.