Small Business Legislative Agenda

About 90% of MMAC's members have fewer than 300 employees, making them a key focus for the Association's programs and services.  Represented through the MMAC's Council of Small Business Executives (COSBE), small businesses are responsible for an overwhelming percentage -- around 82% -- of job creation in our region.  "Simply put, small businesses are vital to Wisconsin's economy and creating a better environment for them ensures a more prosperous future for the Milwaukee Region and the state," said COSBE Director Mary Steinbrecher.

To advance the success of small business, COSBE has developed the following targeted public policy agenda.  These initiatives would have a positive impact on the future success of not only our small businesses, but all our citizens.

I. Ensuring a Quality Workforce

Higher Education Tax Credit
Create an income and franchise tax credit for businesses that pay tuition for an individual to attend a university, college or technical college.  STATUS:   Passed.  Act 265

Educational Improvement Tax Credit
Provide a tax credit for corporate contributions providing private school scholarships to low income children or educational improvement organizations supporting innovative programs in public schools.  STATUS:  Draft developed.  No legislative action

II. Tax Incentives for Building the Economy of Tomorrow 

R&D Tax Credit
Create an income and franchise tax credit for expenses related to research conducted in the state, and creating a property and sales tax exemption for machinery and equipment used for research in the fields of manufacturing or biotechnology.  STATUS:  Passed.  Act 28

Innovation Tax Credit
Create an income and franchise credit equal to 75% of the costs paid to creating and maintaining a project or product based on new technology or the creative application of existing technology.  STATUS:  Passed. Act 28

Capital Gains Reinvestment Exemption
Create a Capital Gains Tax exemption for gains reinvested in a Wisconsin company.  STATUS:  Passed Act 28

III. A Level Playing Field for Small Business

State Non-Compete Protections
Create and enforce limits on state government operations providing the same service or product in competition with private sector businesses.  STATUS:  No progress

Home Field Advantage for Wisconsin Bidders
Create a system of preference points within the state bidding system for Wisconsin-based companies.  STATUS:  Drafted.  No legislative action

Timely Payment Requirements
Create a 60-day time limit for the state of Wisconsin to pay private businesses under contract with them for products or services.  STATUS:  No Progress

IV. Helping Small Business Control Health Care Costs

Health Savings Account Tax Exemption
Create a state income tax credit for contributions made by an individual to a Health Savings Account.  STATUS:  Bill Drafted, introduced in Assembly and Senate and referred to committee.  Died in committee.

Support Market-Based Health Care
Encourage market-based solutions to health care challenges and oppose any effort by the state to create a mandatory state run health care system to replace individual and small group insurance market in Wisconsin.  STATUS:  State’s first-ever health care cost transparency bill passed:  Act 146