A bill that would create a “one-stop shop” database for all California license and permitting applications needed to start a new business is off to a strong start. It passed its first legislative committee today with a unanimous vote.
A similar bill died last year because its cost wasn’t paid for. This year’s version includes a provision for a “reasonable fee.”
Republican State Senator Anthony Cannella wrote this year’s bill. He says many business owners would find it worth a small fee to bypass a large amount of bureaucracy and save time. "This is not a fee that you have to pay. This is a fee that if you want the benefit, then you pay a little bit. And so I think it’s a very fair approach, and as a businessperson, I would take that route every time," said Cannella.
Cannella says the website would let an applicant identify a prospective business type then link to all the state forms required to start that kind of business. A current website only lists the various agencies for each form leaving business owners to contact the agencies themselves.
