Editor’s note: Yesterday, a House committee passed the business filing fees bill by a 135-10 vote, moving it to the Senate for a first reading.
Last September, I offered a plan that would slash Missouri’s business filing fees to the overall lowest in the nation. Sen. Wayne Wallingford, R-Cape Girardeau, introduced the legislation on my behalf, along with Republican Rep. John McCaherty and Democratic Rep. Deb Lavender.
The legislation, Senate Bill 157 and House Bill 513, would reduce fees paid by new and existing businesses that must file paperwork with my office. This includes several types of business entities, including corporations, limited liability companies and nonprofits. It would save Missouri businesses about $6 million a year.
Small-business owners should spend the least amount of time possible worrying about fees and forms, and instead focus on expanding their businesses and growing jobs in their local communities. This legislation is a common-sense way to make it easier to do business in Missouri, and I’m not the only one who thinks so.
Almost immediately after announcing it, my plan received bipartisan support from legislators, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Missouri Chapter of the National Federation of Independent Businesses and editorial boards from around the state.
The Jefferson City News Tribune called the proposal “a rare, and welcome, example of bipartisanship.”
Missouri Chamber President and CEO Dan Mehan said, “Lowering the cost of doing business is always helpful to encourage job growth, especially for entrepreneurs starting a business.”
Despite such strong support, the legislation has been stalled in the Missouri General Assembly since early March. With just weeks left in this legislative session, the time for our legislators to act is now.
This legislation will make Missouri’s filing fees the overall lowest in the nation. If you agree that our state government should be doing all it can to help business owners, then please contact your state senator and state representative today and urge them to send this bill to Gov. Jay Nixon’s desk to help make Missouri the best state in the country to do business.
Jason Kander is Missouri’s secretary of state.[[In-content Ad]]
