The race to pass legislation next year already has begun

Politicians love to characterize small businesses as the backbone of the economy and highlight the need to support local entrepreneurs.

They praise small businesses on television, during political events and on social media. With all the lip service directed at the small business community, one would expect good, common-sense policies that support small businesses to sail through the Illinois legislature.

That is not the case, however, because Springfield is replete with pitfalls that doom legislation, especially when powerful interests work against those policies.

We are thankful that by collaborating and partnering with policymakers dedicated to supporting small businesses and fostering economic development, we have advanced important legislation for small businesses. However, by understanding the hurdles in Springfield, we can be better equipped to withstand opposition, support entrepreneurs and level the playing field for the small business community.

Advocates who work relentlessly to procure support and co-sponsors for legislation often are confident their bills will reach the finish line. Their legislation then goes into committees and sometimes, never comes out. The Illinois legislature is replete with committees and all pieces of legislation ultimately find their way into one of them. Committee chairs control the agenda and whether a bill gets a vote.

There could be many reasons a bill languishes in committee and fails to receive a vote. Perhaps politicians on a committee may be concerned about the impact a vote will have on an upcoming election.

Special interests that oppose a bill may also have strong relationships with legislators, hindering the chance a bill will emerge from committee. The bottom line is that if a legislator and advocates care enough to have a bill drafted, whatever the outcome, it should receive a vote in committee.

Another significant hurdle the small business community faces is navigating the all-nighters that usually mark the close of a legislative session.

The Illinois General Assembly meets for months before session ends in May. The budget, appropriations, and other major policy decisions, however, seemingly come together that last week, and in the last hours of session. Like all stakeholders in Springfield, small business advocates fight for their priorities, but gaining traction is difficult given the high-level of intensity and activity.

How does the small business community effectively navigate these hurdles?

One key is being consistent and persistent throughout the legislative session, so as deadlines approach, committee chairs and members understand the importance of legislation that will support small businesses.

Constituent communication with legislators and grass-roots engagement throughout the session also create the framework for success in May. We also must continue highlighting the good work being done by politicians working on behalf of small businesses, because this creates momentum that can solidify additional support.

We also must make gains during the legislative off-season, so we are poised for success once the new session begins.

We will continue working to galvanize the small business community and finding innovative ways to build on our momentum. The race to pass legislation in 2025 already has begun, and we are always looking for small business owners and advocates to join the team.

• Elliot Richardson is co-founder and president of the Small Business Advocacy Council.