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S 184

Dram Shop

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Brian Adams and 6 co-sponsors

Require state economic agencies to publish anonymized data on micro/small-business grants and loans, set equity goals prioritizing disadvantaged firms, and post reports publicly.

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Bill Summary · S 184

Summary — S.184 (2025): “An Act promoting microbusiness and small business assistance transparency”

Note: The bill text filed as Senate No. 184 focuses on transparency and equity goals for microbusiness and small-business assistance. Metadata accompanying the submission contains conflicting title and sponsor information; this summary follows the bill text as filed with the Massachusetts Senate (Pavel M. Payano petition).

Purpose

To require the Commonwealth’s economic development agencies to collect, publish and report aggregate, anonymized data about grant, loan and technical-assistance programs serving microbusinesses and small businesses, and to adopt and publish equity goals prioritizing socially or economically disadvantaged businesses.

Key provisions

  • Amend chapter 23G, section 48(c):

    • The agency’s growth capital division must collect and report aggregate, anonymized program data at each board meeting, on its website, and in an annual report to the chairs of the Joint Committee on Ways and Means and the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies within 90 days after the close of each fiscal year.
    • Required report elements include (but are not limited to): jobs created or saved; amounts and percent of capital distributed; revenue; profits; number of employees; geographic location; industry; ownership demographics; and other relevant tracked data.

  • New subsection (i) to section 48 (chapter 23G):

    • Agencies must design and implement equity goals across divisions, prioritizing socially/economically disadvantaged businesses (e.g., minority-, women-, veteran-, immigrant-owned microbusinesses and small businesses).
    • Agencies must publish these goals and related anonymized data on their websites and in the annual report.

  • Add Section 70 to chapter 23A (Data transparency and accessibility):

    • The Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED) must implement equity goals and regularly collect and publish aggregate/anonymized data across all divisions.
    • EOED must post data (geographic distribution, jobs created/saved, owner demographics, employee counts, revenue ranges, business types, distribution amounts/percentages, etc.) on its website and submit an annual report to the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Small Business within 90 days of fiscal year end.

Who is affected

  • State economic development agencies (growth capital division, EOED and related departments)
  • Microbusinesses and small businesses served by state grants, loans, and assistance programs — especially socially or economically disadvantaged businesses
  • Legislative oversight committees receiving the reports

Implementation & timeline

  • Agencies must produce annual reports within 90 days after fiscal year close.
  • Data must also be presented at board meetings and posted online regularly.
  • Current procedural status (per provided actions): introduced 1/22/2025; referred to relevant committees; reported and committed to finance (2/4/2025); hearings scheduled/rescheduled in June 2025.

Potential impacts

  • Increased transparency and accountability around public small-business supports.
  • Better ability for policymakers and stakeholders to evaluate program reach, equity, and outcomes.
  • Administrative costs and capacity needs for data collection, anonymization, publication and stakeholder engagement.
  • Privacy protections are implied by anonymization requirements but implementation details will determine efficacy.

Notes / discrepancies

  • The bill text and docket show Massachusetts state sponsors (Pavel M. Payano, Vanna Howard). Other listed sponsors in the provided metadata (federal senators and other names) appear inconsistent with the filed state bill and are not reflected in the statutory text summarized above.

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

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