Guest column

   With the 2012 legislative session now under way, legislators have been working diligently on a bill to help level the playing field for a Kansas small business owner, no matter their race, sex or size of their company. 

   The Kansas Small and Disadvantaged Business Development Act will create a business program within the Kansas Department of Commerce that reaches out to small-, women- and minority-owned businesses. A business owner will then be given an opportunity to participate in state and post-secondary education institution contracts for goods and services. The bill has already been introduced in both the House and Senate, and should have a hearing in either the House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development or the Senate Commerce Committee in the next two weeks. 

   Numerous studies have shown that small businesses, women and minorities have been deeply affected by the economic recession. While women make up more than 50 percent of the Kansas population, there are currently fewer than 60,000 female-owned businesses in our state. Even fewer have a person of color at the helm – of the 237,000 small businesses in Kansas, just 14,000 are owned by a minority. 

   This program will help eliminate a real gap and make it easier for women, minorities and small business owners to find new business ventures that will result in more employment opportunities. It’s the right support at the right time for Kansas’ small business owners.

   David Haley is a state senator from the 4th District in Kansas City, Kan.