March 4, 2025
State Seeks Business Input on Regulations in Effort
to Reduce Barriers to Economic Growth
The Healey-Driscoll Administration has announced a review of business and licensing regulations with the overall goal being to reduce barriers and obstacles to growth and to enhance support for businesses of all sizes. The review will encompass agencies from across state government, but the initial focus is on those agencies that fall under the purview of the Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation (OCABR). OCABR, within the Executive Office of Economic Development, has administrative oversight over five regulatory agencies: the Division of Banks; Division of Insurance; Division of Occupational Licensure; Division of Standards; and Department of Telecommunications and Cable.
To help identify priority areas for reform, OCABR is inviting RAM members to share their insights into the regulatory challenges they face. Your feedback will help guide the Commonwealth in its review.
These offices under OCABR oversee everything from small business health insurance, unit pricing and food store item pricing, licensing of certain professionals such as plumbers and electricians in procedures and installations of certain appliances, and banking laws, such as surcharges and banking fees. Challenges in these areas may exist in regulation or in state law, or both. RAM members are encouraged to complete the survey and fully express their thoughts on areas in need of change.
As an organization, RAM has already highlighted unit and item pricing regulations as overly burdensome and out of step with national industry standards. We’ve continued to question state licensure requirements in hoisting that duplicate and go beyond what is required by OSHA. Why does the state require a licensed plumber to plug in and connect a simple water hose for a dishwasher installation? And we are all too familiar with the tremendous costs added to our health insurance premiums by state mandates that go well beyond what is required under the ACA. Many of these challenges are rooted not only in regulation but in state law. Regardless, all concerns are worth raising.
Survey responses are due by March 12, 2025.
Please click here to complete the survey.
Annual Health Insurance Survey
Many small businesses renew their health insurance in the first quarter, or early second quarter of the year. If you have already renewed, are reviewing your 2025 rates now, or may be receiving your renewal shortly, we would like to hear from you. Collecting small business health insurance cost information from our members is critical for our efforts to seek fairness for small employers in choices and premiums.
Click here to access our brief survey.
NRF Call to Action
Retailers: Tell Congress how tariffs affect your business
It’s time for Congress to hear from those of us who pay tariffs — America’s job creators.
The uncertainty generated by the Trump administration’s blizzard of trade policy announcements is beginning to negatively affect consumer confidence and the affordability of everyday goods.
Now is the time to tell your elected representatives about the real impact this uncertainty is having on your operations and plans for the future.
Write to Congress today to inform lawmakers of the effects uncertainty in U.S. trade policy and potential tariffs are beginning to have on Main Street retailers.
Reminder: Webinar for Cannabis Members
RAM members participating in the Massachusetts Retail Merchants Workers’ Compensation Group are invited to a webinar from our Health & Safety Consultants at Cove Risk. They are here to help our cannabis industry members address the important issue of cannabis dust.
If you haven't taken the necessary steps to protect your employees against cannabis dust, this FREE Webinar is for you!
Register below to join us on March 7th at 11:00 AM for an informative session, in partnership with Darcy Cook, President & Founder of Safety Trainers.
Can’t make it? No worries! Sign up anyways, and we’ll send you a recording afterwards. Don’t miss out on this crucial information that will help protect your business from potential OSHA headaches later!
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