MARYLAND
Introduced
In 2024, Delegate Brian Chisholm sponsored House Bill 1314, the “Right to Start Act”, which required the State Department of Assessments and Taxation to waive annual corporate filing fees for the first year that business entities are in existence.
In 2023, Delegate Brian Chisholm sponsored House Bill 1152, the Entrepreneurial Equity Act, which required the Secretary of Labor and certain licensing boards to waive certain license and registration fees imposed on certain persons establishing a new business; required the State Department of Assessments and Taxation to waive annual corporate filing fees for the first year that business entities are in existence; required at least 10% of specified economic development, financial assistance, and workforce development funding be allocated to supporting organizations or programs that (1) assist individuals starting new businesses or (2) provide services to Maryland businesses that have been in operation for less than five years; and required 10% of certain procurements be designated for small businesses that have been in operation for less than five years. The bill also contained a related reporting requirement.
New businesses create almost all net new jobs in the United States. Entrepreneurs create stronger communities, grow GDP, create homegrown jobs, increase community wealth, diversify goods and services, increase lifetime incomes, and fight inequality and poverty.
65% of Americans believe it's harder to start a business today compared to their parent’s generation. 94% of Americans believe “it’s important to America’s future” that citizens have a fair opportunity to start and grow their own businesses. 81% of entrepreneurs say that the government favors big businesses over them, and 69% say the government doesn’t care about them at all.
Streamlining processes and removing barriers and unnecessary burdens for new, young companies to start and grow is critical to expanding entrepreneurial opportunity for all.
Many states are realizing the importance of new, young businesses to their economic growth and are working to change and update policies.
Your State Needs Entrepreneurs.
Interested?
Right to Start shares best practices to help policymakers support entrepreneurs. We are a leading, national nonpartisan civic organization working to expand entrepreneurial opportunity for all throughout the United States by changing minds, changing policies and changing communities. Our policy recommendations are pro-growth measures, which will remove barriers and streamline processes to starting, cut red tape, advance homegrown job creation, and build a stronger connection between entrepreneurs and government.
Disclaimer - For Informational Purposes