Sponsors (6)
The bill improves small businesses' access to SBA disaster counseling and on-the-ground recovery support and increases awareness of relief options, at the cost of modest fiscal exposure, potential service gaps in non-disaster areas, and some privacy risks from broader information sharing.
Small business owners in declared disaster areas can receive additional in-person and on-the-ground counseling and recovery assistance from SBA resource partners who may operate outside their usual service areas, improving timely access to loans and recovery services.
Small business owners benefit from increased public awareness of available SBA disaster loans and recovery options because resource partners can access and share SBA disaster-application materials and partner website links.
Small business owners and local communities are more likely to retain continuity of recovery counseling services during disasters because the bill requires coordination to minimize gaps when resource partners shift personnel to assist disaster areas.
Taxpayers and the SBA budget could face added costs if resource partners expand services or if SBA extends assistance beyond the usual two-year period.
Small business owners in non-disaster service areas and local governments may see reduced access to counseling and other SBA partner services if partner staff are diverted to disaster response despite coordination requirements being limited to 'as practicable.'
Small business applicants could face modest privacy or information-control concerns because applicant-contact and outreach materials may be shared more broadly with partner organizations.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Allows SBA resource partners to provide cross-area disaster recovery help and requires coordination, information-sharing, and a two-year limit on outside assistance.
Introduced May 8, 2025 by James Risch · Last progress May 8, 2025
Allows Small Business Administration (SBA) resource partners to provide disaster recovery advice and services to small businesses outside their normal service areas when those businesses are in areas eligible for SBA disaster loans. Requires coordination between assisting and local partners, mandates sharing of information and outreach materials, and limits this expanded assistance to two years after a disaster (with agency discretion to extend). Also updates SBA disaster planning and applicant-facing information rules so partners can amplify outreach and continue services where practicable.