Northhampton News

Feb. 12, 2024

HARRISBURG – House Republicans in Pennsylvania are urging the Legislature to take action on the "Main Street Entrepreneurship Initiative," a package of bills aimed at making it easier for Pennsylvanians to start and grow their own businesses. The initiative is led by Rep. Joe Emrick, the Republican Chair of the House Commerce Committee.

According to a national study on new businesses and start-ups, Pennsylvania's rate of entrepreneurship is nearly 50% lower than the national average and has remained below the national average for over 25 years. In an effort to address this issue, House Republicans have introduced a series of bills as part of the Main Street Entrepreneurship Initiative.

One of the proposed bills, introduced by Rep. Joe D'Orsie, would waive the filing fees for first-time entrepreneurs during the business formation process through the Department of State. Another bill, introduced by Rep. Donna Scheuren, would require businesses receiving grants and loans from the Commonwealth to maintain operations and employees within the state. Rep. Mike Armanini's bill aims to establish a "set-aside" within an existing program to support small and disadvantaged businesses established within the past three years.

Rep. Emrick has also proposed a bill to establish a start-up ombudsman within the One-Stop Shop Office within the Department of Community and Economic Development. The ombudsman would assist start-up businesses in securing the necessary documents and accounts needed to operate in Pennsylvania. Additionally, Rep. Marla Brown's bill would establish a statewide program to fund entrepreneurship education at community colleges and other institutions.

Rep. Donna Scheuren, who has nearly 30 years of business experience in Pennsylvania, expressed the importance of protecting entrepreneurs and businesses in the state. She has proposed two pieces of legislation within the Main Street Entrepreneurship Initiative to achieve this. One bill would require businesses receiving loans and grants from the Commonwealth to commit to staying in Pennsylvania. The other bill aims to modernize Pennsylvania's bankruptcy exemption statute to provide fair protections for entrepreneurs' assets.

Rep. Emrick emphasized the significance of supporting job creators and improving opportunities within Pennsylvania. He stated, "For the vast majority of Pennsylvanians, the path to prosperity is found on Main Street, not Wall Street." He believes that the Main Street Entrepreneurship Initiative will make it easier for job creators to turn their ideas into businesses that can have a multi-generational impact.

House Republicans have a strong track record of reducing the burden on job creators, leading to significant investment in various sectors of the state's economy. The Main Street Entrepreneurship Initiative demonstrates their commitment to small business owners and entrepreneurs.

The forthcoming package of legislation has already garnered support from several lawmakers, with co-sponsorship memos available for review. The initiative aims to open doors to economic prosperity and keep entrepreneurs and businesses in Pennsylvania.

Media Contact:

Huntre Keip

717.772.9837

Hkeip@pahousegop.com

RepEmrick.com / Facebook.com/RepEmrick