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HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3247 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 312
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_________________
PRESENTED BY:
Andres X. Vargas
_________________
To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:
An Act promoting microbusiness and small business assistance transparency.
_______________
PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :DATE ADDED:Andres X. Vargas3rd Essex1/16/2025 1 of 3
HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3247 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
HOUSE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 312
By Representative Vargas of Haverhill, a petition (accompanied by bill, House, No. 312) of
Andres X. Vargas relative to microbusiness and small business assistance transparency.
Community Development and Small Businesses.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
_______________
In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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An Act promoting microbusiness and small business assistance transparency.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority
of the same, as follows:
1 SECTION 1. Section 48(c) of chapter 23G of the General Laws, is hereby amended by
2inserting after the words “women-owned businesses” the following:-
3 The agency shall collect and report aggregate and anonymized data regarding the
4programs delivered by its growth capital division at each meeting of its board of directors, on its
5website, and in an annual report to be submitted by the agency to the chairs of the joint
6committee on ways and means and the joint committee on economic development and emerging
7technologies no later than 90 days after the close of each fiscal year. The report shall include, but
8not be limited to, jobs created or saved, the amounts and percent of capital distributed to
9businesses by the revenue, profits, number of employees, geographic location, industry,
10ownership demographics, and other relevant data requested by legislators or stakeholders or
11otherwise tracked by the agency. 2 of 3
12 SECTION 2. Section 48 of chapter 23G of the General Laws, is hereby amended by
13inserting after the words “women-owned businesses” the following subsection:-
14 (i) The agency shall design and implement equity goals across all divisions and
15departments, including prioritizing socially or economically disadvantaged businesses, which
16may include, but shall not be limited to, minority-owned, women-owned, veteran-owned or
17immigrant-owned microbusinesses and small businesses, that have historically faced obstacles to
18accessing capital by mandating that any new or changed agency serving microbusinesses or
19small businesses prioritize such businesses in their programs whenever feasible, among other
20goals designed through stakeholder engagement. The agency shall publish its goals and all
21relevant, anonymous data related to those goals on its website and in its annual report to the
22chairs of the joint committee on ways and means and the joint committee on economic
23development and emerging technologies.
24 SECTION 3. Chapter 23A of the General Laws, is hereby amended by adding the
25following section:-
26 Section 70. Data transparency and accessibility
27 (a) The executive office of economic development shall design and implement equity
28goals across all divisions and departments, including prioritizing socially or economically
29disadvantaged businesses, which may include, but shall not be limited to, minority-owned,
30women-owned, veteran-owned or immigrant-owned microbusinesses and small businesses, that
31have historically faced obstacles to accessing capital by mandating that any new or changed
32agency serving microbusinesses or small businesses prioritize such businesses in their programs
33whenever feasible, among other goals designed through stakeholder engagement. The agency 3 of 3
34shall publish its goals and all relevant, anonymous data related to those goals on its website and
35in an annual report to the chairs of the joint committee on ways and means and the joint
36committee on economic development and emerging technologies.
37 (b) The executive office of economic development shall regularly collect and report
38aggregate and anonymized data and information related to all grant, loan, and other financial and
39technical assistance programs provided across all divisions on its website, including but not
40limited to geographic distribution, jobs created or saved, demographics of business owners
41served, number of employees, annual revenue ranges, business types, and distribution amounts,
42and percentages, provided further that the secretary of economic development shall submit an
43annual report to the joint committee on economic development and small business with this data
44within 90 days of the end of the fiscal year.