H.R. 2652House117th Congress (2021-2023)In Committee

Ensuring Access to Counseling and Training for All Small Businesses Act of 2021

To ensure that certain entrepreneurial development services of the Small Business Administration are made available to cannabis-related legitimate businesses and service providers, and for other purposes.

Introduced April 19, 2021

AI-Generated Summary

Updated February 8, 2026 at 1:50 AM UTC

The Ensuring Access to Counseling and Training for All Small Businesses Act of 2021 requires the Small Business Administration’s counseling and training programs to serve small businesses that are legally involved in cannabis activities. It adds clear definitions for terms like “cannabis‑related legitimate business” and “service provider,” and then amends the Small Business Act so that SBA centers cannot refuse services solely because a business handles cannabis. The bill affects eligible small cannabis businesses, their service providers, and the SBA offices that provide entrepreneurship assistance.

Key Provisions

  • Adds definitions for “cannabis,” “cannabis product,” “cannabis‑related legitimate business,” “manufacturer,” “producer,” and “service provider” to the Small Business Act
  • Requires Small Business Development Centers to provide counseling, training, and other services to eligible cannabis‑related businesses and prohibits denial based solely on cannabis involvement
  • Extends the same non‑discrimination requirement to Women’s Business Centers, the SCORE program, and Veteran Business Outreach Centers
  • Applies only to small businesses that operate legally under state law and are otherwise eligible for SBA services

Legislative Activity

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HouseIntro Referral Latest Action

Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.

April 19, 2021

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HouseIntro Referral

Introduced in House

April 19, 2021

HouseIntro Referral

Referred to the House Committee on Small Business.

April 19, 2021

Bill Text

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Introduced in HouseIssued April 19, 2021

I

117th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 2652

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 19, 2021

Mr. Golden introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Small Business

A BILL

To ensure that certain entrepreneurial development services of the Small Business Administration are made available to cannabis-related legitimate businesses and service providers, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Ensuring Access to Counseling and Training for All Small Businesses Act of 2021.

2.

Definitions relating to cannabis-related legitimate businesses and service providers

Section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(gg)

Definitions relating to cannabis-Related legitimate businesses and service providers

In this Act:

(1)

Cannabis

The term cannabis has the meaning given the term marihuana in section 102 of the Controlled Substances Act.

(2)

Cannabis product

The term cannabis product means any article which contains cannabis, including an article which is a concentrate, an edible, a tincture, a cannabis-infused product, or a topical.

(3)

Cannabis-related legitimate business

The term cannabis-related legitimate business means a manufacturer, producer, or any person or company that is a small business concern and that—

(A)

engages in any activity described in subparagraph (B) pursuant to a law established by a State or a political subdivision of a State, as determined by such State or political subdivision; and

(B)

participates in any business or organized activity that involves handling cannabis or cannabis products, including cultivating, producing, manufacturing, selling, transporting, displaying, dispensing, distributing, or purchasing cannabis or cannabis products.

(4)

Manufacturer

The term manufacturer means a person who manufactures, compounds, converts, processes, prepares, or packages cannabis or cannabis products.

(5)

Producer

The term producer means a person who plants, cultivates, harvests, or in any way facilitates the natural growth of cannabis.

(6)

Service provider

The term service provider—

(A)

means a business, organization, or other person that—

(i)

sells goods or services to a cannabis-related legitimate business; or

(ii)

provides any business services, including the sale or lease of real or any other property, legal or other licensed services, or any other ancillary service, relating to cannabis; and

(B)

does not include a business, organization, or other person that participates in any business or organized activity that involves handling cannabis or cannabis products, including cultivating, producing, manufacturing, selling, transporting, displaying, dispensing, distributing, or purchasing cannabis or cannabis products.

(7)

State

The term State means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and any territory or possession of the United States.

.

3.

Entrepreneurial development services for cannabis-related legitimate businesses and service providers

(a)

Small business development centers

Section 21(c) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 648(c)) is amended by adding at the end the following new paragraph:

(9)

Services for cannabis-related legitimate businesses and service providers

A small business development center may not decline to provide services to an otherwise eligible small business concern under this section solely because such concern is a cannabis-related legitimate business or service provider.

.

(b)

Women’s business centers

Section 29 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 656) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(p)

Services for cannabis-Related legitimate businesses and service providers

A women’s business center may not decline to provide services to an otherwise eligible small business concern under this section solely because such concern is a cannabis-related legitimate business or service provider.

.

(c)

SCORE

Section 8(b)(1)(B) of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 637(b)(1)(B)) is amended by adding at the end the following new sentence: The head of the SCORE program established under this subparagraph may not decline to provide services to an otherwise eligible small business concern solely because such concern is a cannabis-related legitimate business or service provider..

(d)

Veteran Business Outreach Centers

Section 32 of the Small Business Act is amended (15 U.S.C. 657b) is amended by adding at the end the following new subsection:

(h)

Services for cannabis-Related legitimate businesses and service providers

A Veteran Business Outreach Center may not decline to provide services to an otherwise eligible small business concern under this section solely because such concern is a cannabis-related legitimate business or service provider.

.