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How Florida is Empowering Entrepreneurs

Florida is well-known as one of the best states for entrepreneurs to start a business. But rather than coast on the state’s reputation, House Speaker Chris Sprowls challenged his fellow lawmakers to “develop an Entrepreneurship Agenda that knocks down the barriers holding back all those untapped job creators.” These barriers include redundant regulations and requiring business owners to obtain approval from local governments in the form of permits and licenses, which create complicated and costly hurdles to starting a business.

New research from the Foundation for Government Accountability looks at how Florida’s entrepreneurship agenda, passed in 2021, is removing barriers for job creators and encouraging new businesses.

The commonsense reforms passed by the Florida State Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis include …

  • Reforming home-based business laws. Imagine if strict government regulations prevented companies like Disney, Hewlett-Packard, and Microsoft from starting simply because they began in a home. Florida is prioritizing home-based entrepreneurs by prohibiting burdensome regulations like limiting the number of employees in the home or restricting floor space.
  • Fast-track building permits. Lengthy administrative processes and red tape in building applications and permits only serve to drive up costs and slow down growth. Florida is streamlining the application process, helping consumers and communities by making government more efficient.
  • Preempt local licensing laws. Few things keep skilled workers out of the workforce like burdensome and redundant occupational licenses. Florida is cracking down on these “permission slips” from the government by prohibiting localities from creating additional licensing requirements.
  • Make workforce programs work-centric. Many workforce programs only serve to bog down the system with paperwork. Florida is ensuring workforce programs are truly work-centric, and will more efficiently help move the unemployed into suitable jobs and training programs.  

Read more in the full research paper.

It’s no wonder businesses are fleeing highly regulated states for more business-friendly environments like Florida.

At FGA, we don’t just talk about changing policy—we make it happen.

By partnering with FGA through a gift, you can create more policy change that returns America to a country where entrepreneurship thrives, personal responsibility is rewarded, and paychecks replace welfare checks.