SMALL BUSINESS RELIEF 

In what would be a major overhaul to the over 180 laws affecting NYC small businesses, the New York City Council announced a hearing held by the Small Business Committee on March 1, on two bills that would “provide immediate relief” to the city’s businesses as well as long term reform.

Specific information on the bills was provided as follows:

• Int. No. 2233, sponsored by Council Members Vanessa Gibson, Speaker Corey Johnson, Mark Gjonaj, and Bob Holden, permanently expands cure options available to small business owners, lowers existing penalties, waives certain penalties for the certain violations relating to sanitation, health, transportation, consumer affairs, noise control and buildings laws. By providing permanent relief, bill addresses the draconian inspections and penalties for regulatory violations that plagued small business owners well before the pandemic.
• Int. No. 2234, sponsored by Council Member Mark Gjonaj and Speaker Corey Johnson, builds upon the long-term reforms by refunding certain penalties already paid during the pandemic. Additionally, the bill would allow for additional cure periods or no penalties for second or third violations, as well as additional civil penalty relief.

NEW APPOINTMENTS

NEW U.S. SENATE SUBCOMMITTEE POSITIONS 

According to a statement from the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation the following were recently named as Chairs of their respective committees:

• Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM): Subcommittee on Communications, Media & Broadband
• Richard Blumenthal (D-CT): Subcommittee on Consumer Protection, Product Safety and Data Security
• John Hickenlooper (D-CO): Subcommittee on Space and Science 

NEW U.S. HOUSE JUDICIARY POSITIONS

On March 3, the U.S. House Committee on the Judiciary announced the appointment of Madeleine Dean (D-PA) as the new Vice Chair of the Full Committee and the following subcommittee positions:

• Pramila Jayapal (D-WA), Vice Chair, Subcommittee on Antitrust, Commercial, and Administrative Law
• Mondaire Jones (D-NY), Vice Chair, Subcommittee on Courts, Intellectual Property, and the Internet

Categories: Comparative Advantage, Digital Economy, Government v Tech, Regulation, Startup Ecosystem