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Pennsylvania State Senate
05/20/2024 01:02 PM
Pennsylvania State Senate
https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/Legis/CSM/showMemoPublic.cfm?chamber=S&SPick=20230&cosponId=41153
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Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024 Regular Session

MEMORANDUM

Posted: July 6, 2023 03:12 PM
From: Senator Tracy Pennycuick
To: All Senate members
Subject: Veteran Owned Small Business Classification
 
In the near future, I plan to introduce companion legislation to HB 92 which will allow veteran-owned businesses (VOB) to again be automatically considered a small diverse business (SDB).

Before a revised policy issued by the Wolf administration, VOBs were considered SDBs. This classification was removed from our Commonwealth’s veteran-owned businesses without any hearing or input from their representatives in both the PA House and Senate. Due to this policy change, veteran-owned businesses are required to seek a separate small diverse business verification. Under this new policy, a veteran-owned business can only receive this designation if the veteran proves they are also part of another designation.

A 2018 Disparity Study released by the Department of General Services, has highlighted the continuous struggles that veterans face as opposed to non-veterans in many areas relating to business. Despite the study’s findings, which indicated already low participation rates, the administration chose to move forward with implementation of the policy, adding to the existing struggles that veteran-owned businesses face when trying to successfully start and run a small business.

I believe that it is our obligation to help the brave men and women, who have fearlessly answered the call of duty in service to our great country. For those who have done so much for us, it is our mission to help them in return.  To take away benefits and opportunities enjoyed by our veteran-owned businesses is simply inconceivable to me and should be rectified immediately.

Please consider joining me in this effort to restore a justly deserved benefit previously afforded our veterans and require that all Commonwealth departments and agencies, especially the Department of General Services, recognize and designate all veteran-owned business to be small diverse businesses.
 


Introduced as SB884