WASHINGTON – NACS sent a letter earlier this week to Rep. Spencer Bachus, voicing support for legislation that he introduced that would require federal agencies to better account for the effects of proposed regulations on small businesses. 

The bill, H.R. 2452, Regulatory Flexibility Improvements Act of 2013 (RFIA), updates and more fully implements small business regulatory relief. It has been approved by voice vote by the Judiciary Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law and will be considered next by the full Judiciary Committee.

“In my view, the health of small businesses is one of the most important issues confronting our country. Small businesses are the source for almost half of our workforce, and while I’m concerned about many economic factors, it’s also my view that government regulations have a disproportionate impact on small businesses,” said Bachus, who is chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Regulatory Reform, Commercial and Antitrust Law.

In its letter to Bachus, NACS emphasized that “federal regulations place a heavy compliance burden on small businesses in the convenience store industry.  And, in our experience, federal agencies often do not sufficiently consider the regulatory burdens that regulations impose on these businesses. Compliance times and costs are regularly underestimated.

“The legislation appropriately accounts for hidden ‘indirect economic effects’ that typically are not accounted for during the rulemaking process. The requirement that such indirect effects receive the same analysis as direct effects is a positive step.” 

NACS concluded the letter with a reminder of the work that lies ahead for gaining passage of the measure. “We urge you to continue advocating for the bill and hope it receives swift consideration from the full Committee and the House. Thank you for your advocacy on behalf of small businesses.”