VERMONT
Introduced
In 2025, Representative Monique Priestley sponsored House Bill 709, which would create a statewide Office of Entrepreneurship to develop policies and programs pertaining to entrepreneurs while seeking and reporting on ways to improve the overall environment for entrepreneurs in Vermont. This office will track and report on government contracts to new, young businesses and ways in which to increase access to them. Additionally, the bill would eliminate all first-year fees for new business registrations and encourage 5% of government contracts to go to new, young businesses under five years old. Finally, the bill would require the Agency of Commerce and Community Development to produce a report on how to reduce regulations on home-based food businesses.
In 2024, Representative Monique Priestley sponsored House Bill 257, which would create a statewide Office of Entrepreneurship, within the Agency of Commerce and Community Development, to strengthen policies and programs supporting the growth of entrepreneurship in the state across demographic segments and geographic areas. The office would serve as the point of contact for businesses under five years old and work with stakeholders to expand access to resources for entrepreneurs across the state. Finally, the office would track government contracts to young businesses, report on the metrics around government contracts to young businesses and encourage the award of at least 5% of the total number of state contracts to businesses that have been in operation for not more than five years.
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