MISSOURI
Implemented by Law or Executive Action
In 2024, Senator Travis Fitzwater sponsored Senate Bill 894, which created the Right the Start Act and statewide Office of Entrepreneurship. This act requires the Commissioner of Administration to file a report with the General Assembly that includes information on contracts awarded to businesses that have been in operation for less than three years. Additionally, it requires the Commissioner of Administration, in conjunction with the Office of Entrepreneurship, which is established by the act, to file a report with the General Assembly making recommendations on improving access and resources for new Missouri businesses that have been in operation for less than three years, including businesses owned by a racial minority group, and women-owned and veteran-owned businesses. Lastly, the act creates the Office of Entrepreneurship within the Department of Economic Development. The Office shall employ an individual to promote policies and initiatives to support the growth of entrepreneurship of Missouri-based businesses with less than ten employees, including entrepreneurship within racial minority groups, and women and veteran entrepreneurship, in this state. To learn more about this policy, check out this story.
Passed by House or Senate
In 2023, Representative Alex Riley sponsored House Bill 268, which was amended in the Senate to establish a Right to Start Act and a statewide Office of Entrepreneurship. The bill passed in the House in original form and in the Senate in amended form, but the two versions were not reconciled before the end of session.
In 2023, Senator Denny Hoskins & Senator Travis Fitzwater sponsored SCS SBs 3 & 69, which would establish a Right to Start Act and statewide Office of Entrepreneurship. The legislation passed in the Senate and in two House Committees.
In 2022, Representative Travis Fitzawater sponsored House Bill 1590, which established the Right to Start Act to track metrics around government contracts awarded and their amounts to new, young businesses under three years old (includes an annual reporting requirement to General Assembly); established a statewide Office of Entrepreneurship; and reduced income taxes for new, young businesses under 3 years of age. The bill passed in the House and in a Senate Committee.
In 2021, Representative Travis Fitzwater sponsored House Bill 1202, which banned noncompetes for individuals making $90,000 or less annually; required 5% of all state contracts to be awarded to businesses that have been in operation for less than five years; established a statewide Office of Entrepreneurship; and reduced income taxes for new, young businesses in their first five years. The bill passed in the House.
Introduced
In 2023, Representative Travis Smith sponsored House Bill 237, which would establish the “Right to Start Act” and other provisions to support new businesses.
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