TALLAHASSEE -- Not all small businesses owners use the Internet, keep offices, or have the time and staff to comply with state regulations, especially regulations that are designed for larger business.
That's why state lawmakers this week created a small business council and the post of advocate to look out for small businesses' interests when state agencies are devising rules.
The Senate gave final approval Tuesday to the Small Business Regulatory Relief Act. It passed the House Monday and will be sent to Gov. Charlie Crist.
''It's not about getting rid of the rules and regulations, but making it easier for small business to comply,'' said Allen Douglas, the Florida legislative director with the National Federation of Independent Business, which has been working on the legislation for the last four years. Similar laws have passed in numerous other states already, Douglas said.
Florida's economy is especially dependent on small businesses, whose ranks reach nearly two million. More than half of them are owned by sole proprietors who have no full-time employees, according to the federal government. Small businesses also lead the way in new job creation.
The job of the Small Business Regulatory Review and Advisory Council is to ensure new rules don't adversely affect small-business owners, consider complaints about rules and programs, and make recommendations on how to ease any undue burden.
The advocate is to represent business owners' views, and take complaints.
David Hurley, president of Landmark Engineering and Surveying Corp. in Tampa, which employs 33 people, said an government voice representing small business owners is long overdue.
'I've gotten things in the mail, ` Please fill out this form. ' If you don't do it, it sounds like you are going to get thrown in the pokey, '' Hurley said. ''Then they make it sounds like it's only going to take 10 minutes to do. Yeah right, if you have every piece of information sitting on your desk,'' Hurley said.
