
General Assembly Passes Occupational Licensing Reform
Occupational licenses can create unnecessary barriers for Illinois residents looking to start new jobs. Occupational licenses can also create roadblocks for entrepreneurs that would like to start new businesses.
House Bill 5576 unanimously passed the Senate and will go to the Governor!
This legislation builds on the current licensing review process by collecting important information about the requirements associated with obtaining a license, so they can be more comprehensively reviewed by the General Assembly. This legislation will provide crucial information which can help legislators evaluate occupational licenses and eliminate or modify them when appropriate.
Modifying or eliminating overly burdensome or restrictive occupational licenses can support small businesses struggling to hire employees, remove unnecessary or outdated barriers for entrepreneurs, and foster the growth of our economy.
We are thankful to our partners at the IJ Clinic on Entrepreneurship for their collaboration. We are grateful to Representative Ammons and Senator Koehler for their leadership in moving this legislation forward.
Ordinance Filed to Reduce Special Use Zoning Fees For Small Businesses
The Small Business Advocacy Council has been working with a strong coalition on efforts to revitalize neighborhood business districts in Chicago. As part of these efforts, we are advocating to reduce fees for small businesses that want to open in Chicago. We are thrilled to report that we have worked with Alderman David Moore to…
Coalition Engagement Sparks New Chicago Zoning Guide
Navigating the zoning rules in Chicago just became easier. The newly released Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) Chicago Business Zoning Guide will help small businesses and property owners more easily navigate the zoning process in Chicago. This was crucial as chambers of commerce and small business advocates advised that clear,…
NRC New Look, New Logo, Same Mission
New Look, New Logo, Same Mission In our 2nd year of actively and ardently working to revitalize neighborhoods throughout Chicago, we thought we’d bring a fresh new look to the incredible work that the SBAC and a robust group of chamber partners have spearheaded. We continue to advocate for policy reform to reduce vacancies, cut…