Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.
The bill requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator to ensure that, beginning in fiscal year 2026, the "small business regulatory budget" for each small business concern from SBA rulemaking in a fiscal year is not greater than zero. It defines that budget as the cost to a small business from SBA-conducted rulemakings (new, modified, or repealed rules).
Liberals worry zero-cost mandate will block protective regulations
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill creates a substantive legal obligation on the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (to ensure each small business concern's regulatory budget is not greater than 0) and adds a limited recurring reporting requirement.
The bill requires the Small Business Administration (SBA) Administrator to ensure that, beginning in fiscal year 2026, the "small business regulatory budget" for each small business concern from SBA rulemaking in a fiscal year is not greater than zero.
It defines that budget as the cost to a small business from SBA-conducted rulemakings (new, modified, or repealed rules).
The bill also requires annual reports on rules from other federal agencies that impact small businesses, disaggregated by issuing agency.
Limited scope helps, but an absolute zero-cost mandate with no methodology or exceptions is administratively awkward and politically contestable, reducing prospects for final enactment.
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill creates a substantive legal obligation on the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (to ensure each small business concern's regulatory budget is not greater than 0) and adds a limited recurring reporting requirement. The bill is concise but under-specified: it defines terms and sets a timeline and responsible official but omits the core operational mechanics, fiscal acknowledgment, exception regimes, and enforcement/accountability structures that would be expected for a substantive regulatory constraint of this breadth.
Liberals worry zero-cost mandate will block protective regulations
These are examples from the analysis, not a ranked list of the most-affected groups.
Liberals worry zero-cost mandate will block protective regulations
This persona would likely view the bill as a constraint on agency rulemaking that could limit protections or supports for workers, consumers, and disadvantaged communities.
They would be concerned that the zero-cost requirement forces the SBA to avoid beneficial regulations or to prioritize cost savings over equity and safety.
They would note the reporting requirement could be used to pressure other agencies, and that the bill provides no funding for implementation.
A centrist would see the goal of reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens as reasonable but would worry about the practical and legal feasibility of a strict zero-cost requirement.
They would value the increased transparency from annual reports but seek clarifications on scope, measurement methods, and implementation mechanisms.
They would be concerned about unfunded mandates and potential unintended consequences.
This persona would generally welcome the bill as a pro-small-business measure that limits regulatory costs and increases oversight of other agencies.
They would view the zero-cost requirement as a strong tool to curb growth of regulatory burdens on small firms.
They might nonetheless prefer a broader application across agencies or stronger enforcement mechanisms.
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Reached or meaningfully advanced
Still ahead
Still ahead
Still ahead
Limited scope helps, but an absolute zero-cost mandate with no methodology or exceptions is administratively awkward and politically contestable, reducing prospects for final enactment.
The bill has not accumulated any surfaced votes yet.
Liberals worry zero-cost mandate will block protective regulations
Limited scope helps, but an absolute zero-cost mandate with no methodology or exceptions is administratively awkward and politically contes…
Relative to its intended legislative type, this bill creates a substantive legal obligation on the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (to ensure each small business concern's regulatory budget is not gre…
Go beyond the headline summary with full stakeholder mapping, legislative design analysis, passage barriers, and lens-by-lens tradeoff breakdowns.