The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) State Director Leah Long said on Mar. 16 that small business owners are asking lawmakers to reject House Bill 585, which would introduce new government requirements and legal risks for many small retailers in Louisiana.
The proposed legislation, called the Discount Retailer Workforce Safety and Retention Act, would require stores selling low-cost household goods and other daily items to carry out workplace violence risk assessments, create written safety plans, document incidents, and take further actions such as installing panic buttons or increasing staff after repeated incidents at a location.
“Small business owners take employee safety seriously, but this bill creates a one-size-fits-all mandate that would increase costs and paperwork for retailers already operating on thin margins,” Long said.
The bill also includes provisions allowing employees to file civil lawsuits against employers for alleged violations of the law, including the recovery of attorney fees. Long said this could add more pressure on small businesses already facing challenges.
“Small retailers are often the only convenient place for people to buy groceries, medicine, and other essentials in many communities,” Long said. “Adding new mandates and exposing businesses to more lawsuits will make it harder for them to stay open and serve their customers.”
Long said lawmakers should focus instead on addressing crime and improving public safety rather than placing new regulatory burdens on small businesses.
