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Bill

S 184

An Act promoting microbusiness and small business assistance transparency

194th Legislature (2025-2026) Introduced by Vanna Howard and 1 co-sponsor

Massachusetts bill requiring public disclosure of state microbusiness and small business assistance programs, funding, eligibility criteria, and outcomes to improve access and transparency.

Bill reported favorably by committee and referred to the committee on Senate Ways and Means
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Bill Summary · S 184

Legislative bill overview

S 184 requires Massachusetts to establish and maintain transparent public disclosure of microbusiness and small business assistance programs, including funding sources, eligibility requirements, and program outcomes. The bill aims to consolidate fragmented state resources and make it easier for small businesses to identify and access available support services across multiple agencies.

Why is this important

Small businesses often struggle to navigate complex state bureaucracies and discover what assistance they qualify for, potentially missing critical funding and support. Enhanced transparency could reduce information barriers, improve program utilization rates, and help policymakers identify gaps or redundancies in existing assistance infrastructure.

Potential points of contention

  • Implementation costs: Creating and maintaining a centralized transparent system requires funding and administrative resources that agencies may not currently have budgeted
  • Data privacy and security: Collecting and publishing business eligibility data and application information raises concerns about protecting sensitive business information and personal data of applicants
  • Definitional scope: Disagreement may exist over what qualifies as "microbusiness" versus "small business" and which programs must be included in transparency requirements
  • Agency coordination burden: Requiring multiple state agencies to standardize reporting formats and contribute data could face resistance from departments with limited capacity

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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