Sponsors (5)
The bill improves recognition, monitoring, and federal assistance eligibility for 'snow drought'—helping water managers and small businesses plan and access aid—but it provides no direct funding, may shift limited disaster resources, and could raise federal costs or produce rushed regulations, so benefits depend on how agencies implement and fund follow-on action.
Small business owners in low-snow regions become eligible for federal disaster assistance because the bill adds 'snow drought' to the Small Business Act's disaster definition, increasing access to SBA aid after low-snow events.
Researchers, water managers, utilities, farmers, and state/local governments get a clear, standardized definition of 'snow drought' (including dry vs. warm types), improving monitoring, communication, forecasting, and planning for reduced spring runoff and reservoir operations.
Small businesses and the SBA gain faster regulatory certainty because the SBA must issue implementing regulations within 90 days, which can speed access to predictable rules and quicker implementation of assistance.
Taxpayers and the SBA could face increased costs because expanding the disaster definition to include 'snow drought' may increase federal spending or strain SBA disaster programs (e.g., EIDL), raising taxpayer costs or program pressure.
Rural communities and state/local governments may not receive immediate relief because the bill's definitional findings and reports do not provide direct funding or guaranteed action.
Utilities, farmers, and other water-dependent users risk delayed investments if policymakers treat the bill's findings as sufficient action, potentially postponing needed upgrades to monitoring, reservoirs, or drought-mitigation infrastructure.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Adds “snow drought” to the Small Business Act's disaster definition, requires SBA rules within 90 days, and orders a GAO report on federal aid and resilience measures.
Introduced April 4, 2025 by Tammy Baldwin · Last progress April 4, 2025
Adds “snow drought” to the federal disaster definition used by the Small Business Administration so businesses harmed by unusually low snowpack can be treated as disaster-impacted. Requires the SBA Administrator, working with the National Weather Service, to write implementing rules within 90 days and directs the Comptroller General to report to Congress on federal help available, resilience measures for affected small businesses, and recommendations for improving SBA disaster support.