Sponsors (6)
The bill improves and speeds SBA-backed recovery assistance for small businesses through broader use of resource partners and better coordination, at the cost of modest taxpayer expense and potential strains on partner capacity and privacy risks.
Small businesses in declared disaster areas will get faster, more local access to SBA recovery advice and services because resource partners can operate beyond their usual service areas and use Administrator-designated recovery sites.
Resource partners will have access to official SBA disaster information, enabling them to better inform and direct applicants and amplify public awareness about available loans and services.
Federal, state, and local authorities and SBA resource partners will operate under clearer coordinated guidelines, improving the overall intergovernmental disaster response and alignment of recovery efforts.
Resource partner organizations may have reduced capacity for their regular, non-disaster-area clients because staff and resources could be diverted to assist businesses outside their normal service areas.
Taxpayers could incur modest increased administrative costs to support expanded coordination, designated recovery sites, and the expanded operations of resource partners.
Broader dissemination of disaster information increases the risk of privacy or sensitivity breaches if data-sharing and safeguards are not properly managed.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Allows SBA resource partners to assist small businesses outside their normal areas in SBA-eligible disaster zones, requires coordination, info sharing, and sets a two-year default limit on out-of-area aid.
Introduced May 8, 2025 by James Risch · Last progress May 8, 2025
Allows the Small Business Administration (SBA) to authorize its resource partners (like Small Business Development Centers, SCORE, and Women's Business Centers) to provide disaster recovery advice and assistance to small businesses outside their usual service areas when those businesses are in federally declared disaster zones. It requires coordination with local partners, sets a default two-year limit on outside assistance (with possible Administrator extensions), and requires the SBA to share disaster information and issue coordination guidelines to improve outreach and continuity of services. Also updates existing SBA rules to include resource partners explicitly in disaster planning coordination and to require that public-facing disaster guidance include links to resource partner websites so partners can help amplify and implement recovery information.