Palmetto State News

NFIB State Director Ben Homeyer has announced that addressing lawsuit abuse is the primary focus for the small business organization during this year's session of the South Carolina General Assembly. The assembly is set to begin on Tuesday, January 14.

"The General Assembly did a lot last year to improve South Carolina’s business climate, but one important piece of legislation that failed to pass was Senate Bill 533, a measure that would have helped Main Street businesses by finally addressing lawsuit abuse in the state," said Homeyer.

He emphasized the impact of legal challenges on small businesses: "Lawmakers must remember that small businesses cannot afford large legal departments to fend off every frivolous claim brought against them. The cost of defending against just one meritless lawsuit could be enough to shut down a small business for good, and that’s something our state cannot afford."

In addition to curbing lawsuit abuse, NFIB's legislative priorities include reducing or eliminating the business personal property tax. "High business personal property taxes place a significant financial strain on small business owners. NFIB is calling for a reduction in these taxes to enable businesses to reinvest in growth and job creation," Homeyer stated.

Income tax reduction is also on their agenda. "South Carolina’s small businesses often pay individual income tax rates because they are structured as pass-through entities," he explained. "Our small business members need further reductions in income tax rates to ensure small businesses can thrive in a competitive marketplace and keep more of their hard-earned revenue."

Another concern for NFIB is organized retail theft. Homeyer remarked, "Retail theft is already a crime, but organized smash-and-grab robberies are a growing concern that threatens the profitability and security of small businesses. NFIB looks forward to working with legislative leaders to strengthen penalties and enforcement measures to deter criminal activity and protect South Carolina retailers."

NFIB remains an influential advocate for South Carolina's small businesses across various sectors.