AUSTIN, TX — Today, Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa filed Senate Bill 522 relating to the procedure for adoption by a state agency of rules that may have an adverse economic effect on small businesses and micro-businesses. S.B. 522 reflects a legislative recommendation made by the Small Business Advisory Task Force which was created last session to identify barriers that hurt Texas job creators, review difficulties encountered by small businesses with regard to the regulatory system and make recommendations to the legislature to improve small business creation in Texas.

Senator Juan "Chuy" Hinojosa issued the following statement:

"Small businesses are the backbone of the Texas economy. Our recipe of low taxes, tort reform, and predictable regulation has made Texas the place to do business.

"However, state regulatory bodies still adopt burdensome rules without understanding the economic impact on start-up businesses and current small businesses. Sometimes these rules create barriers to entry and make it harder for start-up businesses to be successful.

"I filed S.B. 522 to give a voice to small business owners who are negatively impacted by agency rules. This bill will give agencies a better understanding of the economic impact and regulatory flexibility its rules have on Texas businesses. S.B. 522 would require state agencies to prepare an economic impact statement and regulatory flexibility analysis if a state agency is made aware that a proposed rule may have an adverse economic effect on small businesses."

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