S. 1309: Winter Recreation Small Business Recovery Act of 2025 (119th Congress) Bill Summary

This bill is titled the Winter Recreation Small Business Recovery Act of 2025 and aims to modify the definition of a disaster within the context of the Small Business Act to include "snow drought." Here are the main points of the bill:

Definition of Snow Drought

The bill establishes that snow drought occurs when there are periods of low snowpack for the expected time of year, which can be caused by either:

Dry conditions: Below-normal cold-season precipitation.
Warm conditions: Adequate precipitation that falls as rain rather than snow due to high temperatures or an earlier than usual snowmelt.

Amendment to Disaster Definition

The bill proposes an amendment to Section 3(k)(2) of the Small Business Act to include snow drought alongside other disasters. The definition will be updated to state:

Currently recognized disasters, and
Snow drought.

Implementation Timeline

Upon enactment, the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) must create rules to implement this amendment within 90 days, in consultation with the Director of the National Weather Service.

Review and Recommendations

A report will be submitted to Congress by the Comptroller General, which will include:

A review of resources available to assist small businesses affected by low snow precipitation.
Identification of ways for small businesses to adapt and build resilience against snow drought conditions.
Recommendations for legislative and administrative actions to provide support through existing Small Business Administration programs.

Focus on Small Businesses

The bill emphasizes the importance of supporting small businesses such as ski resorts, winter sports equipment rental shops, and other businesses reliant on winter recreation that may suffer economically due to insufficient snowfall.

Summary of Goals

The main goal of the bill is to provide a clearer path for financial assistance to small businesses that experience economic hardships related to snow drought, ensuring they have a chance to recover from such conditions.