Working To Help Small Business Succeed

May 3, 2017

Today we passed legislation I introduced that will establish a small business hotline at the Department of Economic and Community Development where businesses will be able to get the guidance they are looking for on state programs and funding opportunities – all from a live voice.

House Bill 5584 would further require the state Department of Economic and Community Development to staff the hotline Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The hotline will provide information on starting and fostering small companies, and other services including networking opportunities and financial assistance resources.

HB 5584 has received the support of the Connecticut Business and Industry Association (CBIA), the state’s largest business group.

I am proud to have introduced this legislation and will continue to support small businesses in Connecticut.

The legislation also requires the commissioner to submit a report on the hotline's operation to the Commerce Committee by January 1, 2019. The report must describe the hotline's services, summarize the most common types of assistance entrepreneurs and small businesses request, and provide statistics on the hotline's call volume. This information will help lawmakers develop additional strategies to assist small businesses.

The bill now heads to the Senate for consideration. Its effective date is Oct. 1, 2017.