Sens. Diana DiZoglio and Jason Lewis and Jon Hurst of the Retailers Association of Massachusetts plan to speak at a press conference this afternoon in support of a new DiZoglio proposal to support local businesses.
DiZoglio’s bill, known as an Act to Support MassMakers, aims to assist small businesses, in part by establishing a Massachusetts Main Streets Office and a MassMakers web portal. The portal seeksl to assist aspiring start-ups and scale-ups, micro-businesses. Among other things, the bill also requires the governor to annually proclaim the first Friday, Saturday and Sunday following Thanksgiving Day as “Local is the New Black Weekend,” to “promote awareness of the vital role that local businesses play in the economy and general welfare of the Commonwealth throughout the year.”
“Our small businesses are the economic engines of our communities and essential to job creation and growth,” said DiZoglio. “The MassMakers Act is wide-ranging legislation that will strengthen the vitality, prosperity and diversity of these businesses in Massachusetts, which represent not just the backbone of our economy but also the heart.”
Two weeks ago, the legislature referred the bill to the committee on Community Development and Small Businesses.
DiZoglio is Senate chair of the Joint Committee on Community Development and Small Business.