http://www.sba.gov/advo/ http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/law_regalerts.html#safety On March 31, 2008, United States Coast Guard (USCG) published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking on amendments to its commercial fishing industry vessel regulations. The proposed rule would add new requirements for vessel stability and watertight integrity, safety training, safety equipment, and additional documentation. The purpose of this action is to enhance maritime safety. Comments are due July 29, 2008. http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/law_regalerts.html#pro On June 6, 2008, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) published proposed guidance to agencies to establish requirements for federal assistance applicants, recipients, and subrecipients that are necessary for the implementation of the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006 (Pub. L. 109-282). An agency under the proposed guidance would require applicants other than individuals, with some specific exceptions, to have Dun and Bradstreet Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) numbers and maintain current registrations in the Central Contractor Registration (CCR) database. This proposed implementation of the requirement for reporting of subawards under federal financial assistance awards parallels the Federal Acquisition Regulation reporting requirement for subcontracts under federal procurement contracts (72 FR 51306, September 6, 2007). Agencies are required to disqualify applicants that do not comply with requirements to provide DUNS number and register in the CCR. Comments are due August 5, 2008. http://www.sba.gov/advo/roundup08_7.pdf The Louisiana legislature recently passed, and Governor Bobby Jindal has signed House Bill 368, the “Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Act”. The law requires Louisiana state agencies to develop a small business economic impact statement when proposing new regulations. It also requires state agencies to notify small businesses of the costs associated with the proposed new rules. http://www.sba.gov/advo/press/08-19.html Governor Jindal and the Louisiana state legislature have stepped up support for Louisiana’s 364,900 small businesses with the recent passage and signing of House Bill 368, the Small Business Regulatory Flexibility Act. Representative Rickey Nowlin (Natchitoches) was the bill’s primary author. http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/data.html Advocacy funded, U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses dynamic data have been updated to 2005. The data contains firm/establishment births, deaths, and related employment creation and destruction data by firm size, industry, and geographic location. http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/comments/fs08_0714.html On July 14, 2008, the Office of Advocacy (Advocacy) filed comments with the U.S. Forest Service (Forest Service) regarding its Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA) Assessment for its proposed Locatable Minerals Operations rule. http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/rs329tot.pdf Federal antitrust enforcement has little impact on small firms, according to a study, Analyzing the Impact of Antitrust Laws and Enforcement on Small Business, released by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration. http://www.sba.gov/advo/press/08-17.html Federal antitrust enforcement has little impact on small firms, according to a study, Analyzing the Impact of Antitrust Laws and Enforcement on Small Business, released by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration. http://www.sba.gov/advo/july08.pdf The July 2008 edition of The Small Business Advocate asks small businesses and trades to submit their nominations for federal rules most in need of review and reform, as part of Advocacy’s r3 initiative. http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/law_regalerts.html#gen On July 1, 2008, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) simultaneously issued three proposed rules relating to the use of credit ratings issued by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations. The proposed rules would reduce the way the Commission's own rules refer to and rely upon credit ratings. Comments are due September 5, 2008. http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/comments/hud08_0611.html On June 11, 2008, the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy filed comments on the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) proposed regulations on the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA): Proposed Rule to Simplify and Improve the Process of Obtaining Mortgages and Reduce Consumer Settlement Costs. http://www.sba.gov/advo/research/sbl_07study.pdf The number of small business loans outstanding under $1 million increased by 15 percent between June 2006 and June 2007, according to a report, Small Business and Micro Business Lending in the United States for Data Years 2006-2007, released by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration. http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/law_regalerts.html#tax On May 8, 2008, the Department of Treasury Alcohol Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) published a proposed rule that would amend its distilled spirits plant regulations. TTB issued the proposed rule in response to comments submitted by the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States regarding a proposed rule published by TTB in November 1998. Comments on the proposed rule are due by August 6, 2008. http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/comments/dhs08_0425.html On April 25, 2008, the U.S. Small Business Administration’s Office of Advocacy (Advocacy) submitted comments to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on DHS' Supplemental Proposed Rule on Safe-Harbor Procedures for Employers Who Receive a No-Match Letter (“No-Match” rule). Advocacy’s letter recommends that DHS consider alternatives that will reduce the costs and impacts of the rule on small entities. http://www.sba.gov/advo/r3/r3_nominations08.html#10 On February, 28, 2008, Advocacy announced the 2008 Top 10 Rules for Review and Reform. The Top 10 are drawn from over 80 rules nominated by small business owners and their representatives as part of the Regulatory Review and Reform (r3) initiative. The 2008 Top 10 Rules for Review and Reform are listed in the Report on the Regulatory Flexibility Act (RFA), FY 2007. http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/flex/07regflx.html The FY 2007 annual report to the Congress and the President on implementation of the RFA and Executive Order 13272 features a special section on Advocacy’s r3 initiative including information about the top ten r3 nominations for 2008. In FY 2007, Advocacy involvement in agency rulemakings helped secure $2.6 billion in first-year cost savings and $285 million in recurring annual savings for small entities http://www.sba.gov/advo/press/08-04.html The Office of Advocacy today announced the 2008 Top 10 Rules for Review and Reform. The Top 10 are drawn from over 80 rules nominated by small business owners and their representatives as part of the Regulatory Review and Reform (r3) initiative. The recommendations have been transmitted to the appropriate federal agencies for their action. http://www.sba.gov/advo/laws/comments/sec08_0225.html On February 25, 2008, the Office of Advocacy (Advocacy) sent a letter to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission applauding its proposed rule Internal Control Over Financial Reporting In Exchange Act; Periodic Reports of Non-Accelerated Filers. In the rule the Securities and Exchange Commission proposed a one-year extension of Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 for smaller public companies and is commencing a study on the impact of Section 404 on these entities.