S. 1538Senate115th Congress (2017-2019)In Committee

Small Business Employee Ownership Promotion Enhancement Act of 2018

Introduced July 12, 2017

AI-Generated Summary

Updated April 15, 2026 at 5:09 PM UTC

The Small Business Employee Ownership Promotion Enhancement Act of 2018 amends the Small Business Act to give the SCORE program a new role in helping small businesses consider employee ownership. It requires SCORE to appoint a dedicated Employee Ownership Director who will spread information, offer technical help, and collect data about employee stock ownership plans, cooperatives and other ownership models. The goal is to raise awareness and make it easier for small firms to adopt employee‑ownership structures.

Key Provisions

  • Amends Section 8(b)(1)(B) of the Small Business Act to add a new subparagraph that directs SCORE to appoint an Employee Ownership Director.
  • The Director’s duties include creating and distributing informational and technical assistance materials on employee ownership structures.
  • The Director will coordinate employee‑ownership efforts with SCORE chapters across the United States.
  • The Director provides technical assistance for various employee‑ownership forms, such as employee stock ownership plans (ESOPs), cooperatives, and other approaches deemed appropriate.
  • The Director must supply the SBA Administrator and the Office of Entrepreneurial Development with statistics, including regional data, on services provided to small businesses pursuing employee ownership.
  • The appointed Director may be a current SCORE employee.

Legislative Activity

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5 earlier actions
SenateCommittee Latest Action

By Senator Risch from Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship filed written report. Report No. 115-436.

December 19, 2018

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

July 12, 2017

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

July 12, 2017

SenateCommittee

Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.

March 14, 2018

SenateCommittee

Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. Reported by Senator Risch with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.

March 19, 2018

SenateCalendars

Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 348.

March 19, 2018

SenateCommittee

By Senator Risch from Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship filed written report. Report No. 115-436.

December 19, 2018

Floor Debate

1 member

What members said about S. 1538 on the floor

1 Republican
James Lankford
Sen. James LankfordR-OK · Mar 14, 2018

Mr. President, I have 12 requests for committees to meet during today's session of the Senate. They have the approval of the Majority and Minority leaders. Pursuant to rule XXVI, paragraph 5(a), of…

Bill Text

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Latest
Reported to SenateIssued March 19, 2018

II

Calendar No. 348

115th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 1538

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

July 12, 2017

Mr. Peters (for himself, Mr. Risch, and Mrs. Gillibrand) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship

March 19, 2018

Reported by Mr. Risch, with an amendment

Strike out all after the enacting clause and insert the part printed in italic

A BILL

To amend the Small Business Act to establish awareness of, and technical assistance for, the creation of employee stock ownership plans, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Small Business Employee Ownership Promotion Enhancement Act of 2017.

2.

SCORE program assistance

Section 8(b)(1)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(b)(1)(B)) is amended—

(1)

by inserting (i) after (B);

(2)

in clause (i), as so designated, in the first sentence, by striking (SCORE) and inserting (referred to in this subparagraph as SCORE); and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

(ii)

SCORE shall appoint an individual to serve as the SCORE Employee Ownership Director—

(I)

whose duties shall relate to the various forms of employee ownership;

(II)

who shall be responsible for—

(aa)

administering and disbursing materials that contain general information and technical assistance with respect to the establishment of employee ownership structures;

(bb)

coordinating efforts with respect to employee ownership with the chapters of SCORE located throughout the United States;

(cc)

providing technical assistance relating to a range of business forms and strategies that promote or facilitate employee ownership, including—

(AA)

an employee stock ownership plan;

(BB)

a cooperative; and

(CC)

any other approach determined appropriate by the SCORE Employee Ownership Director; and

(dd)

providing the Administrator and the Office of Entrepreneurial Development with statistics, including regional statistics from a chapter of SCORE, relating to services provided to small business concerns potentially undertaking a form of employee ownership; and

(III)

who may be an employee of the Administration as of the date on which the appointment is made.

.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Small Business Employee Ownership Promotion Enhancement Act of 2018.

2.

SCORE program assistance

Section 8(b)(1)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(b)(1)(B)) is amended—

(1)

by inserting (i) after (B);

(2)

in clause (i), as so designated, in the first sentence, by striking (SCORE) and inserting (referred to in this subparagraph as SCORE); and

(3)

by adding at the end the following:

(ii)

SCORE shall appoint an individual to serve as the SCORE Employee Ownership Director—

(I)

whose duties shall relate to the various forms of employee ownership;

(II)

who shall be responsible for—

(aa)

administering and disbursing materials that contain general information and technical assistance with respect to the establishment of employee ownership structures;

(bb)

coordinating efforts with respect to employee ownership with the chapters of SCORE located throughout the United States;

(cc)

providing technical assistance relating to a range of business forms and strategies that promote or facilitate employee ownership, including—

(AA)

an employee stock ownership plan;

(BB)

a cooperative; and

(CC)

any other approach determined appropriate by the SCORE Employee Ownership Director; and

(dd)

providing the Administrator and the Office of Entrepreneurial Development with statistics, including regional statistics from a chapter of SCORE, relating to services provided to small business concerns potentially undertaking a form of employee ownership; and

(III)

who may be an employee of SCORE as of the date on which the appointment is made.

.

March 19, 2018

Reported with an amendment