Small biz rights get bipartisan support

OLYMPIA, Jan. 18, 2017—The goal is clear and simple: “Identify what rights or protections, if any, a small-business owner has when selected for audit, inspection, or other agency enforcement action and how those rights or protections are communicated to the business owner prior to or at the time of the agency visit,” says a one-page Small Business Bill of Rights document issued by NFIB, now taking the form of legislation.

“I am excited to report that two of NFIB’s recent Leadership Council members are prime sponsors of companion NFIB priority bills in the House and Senate,” said NFIB/Washington State Director Patrick Connor about Sen. Lynda Wilson and Rep. Andrew Barkis. The Bill of Rights “also asks the attorney general to review the administrative procedures act for that same purpose. Based on this information, the AG will report to selected legislative committees how we can improve the process of notifying small-business owners of their rights, either in advance of or at the time of an audit, inspection, or other enforcement action. We have secured impressive, bipartisan support, and the affected agencies and governor’s office are neutral,” says Connor.

Wilson and fellow NFIB member Sen. Guy Palumbo are the lead co-sponsors of Senate Bill 5230, and Barkis, together with Rep. Mike Chapman, are the key co-sponsors of House Bill 1352, the companion measure to the SB 5230.

In addition to Wilson and Palumbo, Senate sponsors of SB 5230 include John Braun, Mark Mullet, Mike Baumgartner, Dean Takko, Sharon Brown, Karen Keiser, Curtis King, Mark Miloscia, Maralyn Chase, Maureen Walsh, Judy Warnick, and Steve Hobbs.

In the House, in addition to Barkis and Chapman, sponsors include James Walsh, Matt Shea, John Koster, J.T. Wilcox, Gina McCabe, Mark Harmsworth, Eileen Cody, Gael Tarleton, Joel Kretz, Joe Schmick, Shelly Short, Brandon Vick, Paul Harris, Matt Manweller, Norma Smith, Drew Stokesbary, Drew MacEwen, Terry Nealey, Cary Condotta, Ed Orcutt, Kristine Lytton, Larry Springer, Steve Kirby, Brian Blake, Michelle Caldier, Laurie Jinkins, David Taylor, and Liz Pike.

The Senate bill will be heard January 26 in the Senate Commerce Committee, where the chairman and ranking member are co-sponsors.