Florida Senate - 2025 (NP) SR By Senator Jones 34-03864-25 20251898__ CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. Senate Resolution A resolution recognizing April 23, 2025, as “National Association of Women Business Owners Day” in Florida. 3

WHEREAS, in 1975, a dozen like-minded businesswomen in the Washington, D.C., area gathered to share information and create an atmosphere of professional community and to further and strengthen their entrepreneurial interests, and

WHEREAS, this group quickly grew to become what is now known as the National Association of Women Business Owners 10 (NAWBO), and

WHEREAS, in 1988, NAWBO played a key role in the passage of the Women’s Business Ownership Act, also known as H.R. 5050, 13 which allowed women to receive business loans without the cosignature of a male relative, and

WHEREAS, the federal legislation also created the National Women’s Business Council, a panel of women entrepreneurs and women’s organizations which provides counsel to the President and members of Congress, and

WHEREAS, over the past years, NAWBO, through its affiliation with the World Association of Women Entrepreneurs, 21 has extended its global reach to countries on five continents and has expanded across the United States, boasting a

chapter in nearly every major metropolitan area including three chapters in Florida: South Florida, Orlando, and Greater Tampa Lakeland, and

WHEREAS, NAWBO strongly supports the achievement of state and federal procurement goals for women-owned small businesses and other steps designed to ensure that women business owners win their fair share of state and federal contracts, realizing Florida Senate - 2025 (NP) SR 1898 34-03864-25 20251898__ CODING: Words stricken are deletions; words underlined are additions. that the failure to achieve such goals has cost women business owners an average of $5 billion in lost revenues per year, and

WHEREAS, NAWBO propels women entrepreneurs into economic, 32 social, and political spheres of power by strengthening the wealth-creating capacity of its members and promoting economic development within the entrepreneurial community; creating innovative and effective change in the business culture; 36 building strategic alliances, coalitions, and affiliations; and transforming public policy and influencing opinion makers, and

WHEREAS, on April 23, 2025, the Florida chapters of NAWBO will converge upon the Capitol to focus the political spotlight on issues affecting women business owners and to celebrate the 41 50th anniversary of NAWBO’s founding,

NOW, THEREFORE, 42

Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida: 44 That April 23, 2025, is recognized as “National Association of Women Business Owners Day” in Florida. 47