WASHINGTON
Introduced
In 2025, Representative Travis Couture sponsored HB 1245, which would create a statewide Office of Entrepreneurship. This office would work to promote and strengthen initiatives, policies, and programs supporting the entrepreneurship of Washington-based businesses with fewer than 10 employees. This office would serve as the point of contact to assist businesses that have been in operation for not more than five years in their interactions with state agencies, when appropriate, refer businesses to other state or local agencies that provide assistance to businesses and identify government regulations and fees that hinder business formation in 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 with its principal place of business in the state. More information on this policy is here.
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.
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