Advocacy group rates voting records of Illinois lawmakers on small business issues

(The Center Square) – A small and independent business advocacy group has given 35 state lawmakers in Illinois a 100% voting record for the 2023-2024 session.

National Federation of Independent Business Illinois State Director Noah Finley announced that five of 59 members of the Illinois Senate and 30 of 118 members of the state House achieved the record, based on key votes on issues affecting small businesses.

“One of the great things is there are a number of small business owners or people who have a small-business background in the Illinois General Assembly, not nearly as many as I would like. We really need more,” Finley said.

Finley said regulation is an enormous thing that small business owners have to deal with.

“They’re having to navigate the law. They don’t have a legal department. They don’t have an HR department. They’re trying to figure out what that law means,” Finley said.

All of the Illinois lawmakers who had 100% NFIB voting records are Republicans. The complete list of legislators and their scores can be found at the NFIB website .

Finley said one NFIB member is concerned the state’s new paid leave mandate, which took effect on Jan. 1, will impact his small business.

“So instead of spending his time figuring out how to grow his business, how to take care of his employees, invest in his local communities, he’s worried about, ‘how do I avoid any penalties based upon this new law,'” Finley said.

Finley said there are many ways government increases costs on small businesses, including regulation.

“It’s a tax on their time. It takes them away from their mission and really detracts from how much they can invest and build their communities,” Finley said.

Taxes and inflation have also led to higher costs for small businesses, he said.