Snyder reintroduces bill that would assist “ultra-small” businesses during pandemic

State Rep. Pam Snyder, D-Jefferson, is hoping the second time will be the charm for a bill that would offer financial assistance to “ultra-small” businesses that have been hurt by the pandemic.
Snyder is reintroducing the bill for the legislative session that will begin on Tuesday. The measure, which Snyder is co-sponsoring with Joe Ciresi, a Montgomery County Democrat, would establish a $50 million grant program for businesses in the commonwealth that make no more than $3 million annually or employ no more than 30 full-time employees.
In May, a similar measure sponsored by Snyder and Ciresi was reported out of the House’s commerce committee, but did not receive a vote by the full House. The bill has been updated to allocate funding from the state’s Rainy Day Fund rather than from the federal CARES Act.
In a news release, Snyder said, “Our small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities. They’ve been hit extremely hard by the effects of the pandemic, and it’s imperative we provide them the support they need and deserve to survive.”
Ciresi said, “When local ‘mom and pop’ businesses shut their doors, communities die. We can’t let that happen.”