A Joint Resolution designating the Saturday following Thanksgiving of each year as "Small Business Saturday."

Whereas, New Jersey is home to more than 800,000 small businesses, of which approximately 620,000 are nonemployer firms and more than 189,000 are firms which employ an estimated 1.74 million individuals in this State; and

Whereas, These small businesses are the backbone of our State, providing services and employment to individuals throughout various industries such as finance, health care, the arts, real estate, and retail, among many others; and

Whereas, Traditionally, the day after Thanksgiving, known as "Black Friday," is the beginning of the holiday shopping season, particularly for large stores that have the resources to promote sales; and

Whereas, Large businesses have continued to create promotional shopping opportunities for consumers, such as establishing the Monday after Thanksgiving as "Cyber Monday," a day on which businesses offer reduced prices for online purchases to capture the holiday shopping market; and

Whereas, In an effort to promote smaller businesses, which lack the resources necessary to promote their businesses to the same extent as larger businesses promoting "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday," the American Express Company (American Express) has popularized the Saturday following Thanksgiving as "Small Business Saturday"; and

Whereas, Initially, to spur participation during the onset of "Small Business Saturday," American Express provided financial incentives to a limited number of consumers for qualified purchases made from participating small businesses on "Small Business Saturday"; and

Whereas, American Express continues to provide subsidized advertising to select registered small businesses, which helps these small businesses reach out to their communities and promote their own special sales, events, and rewards; and

Whereas, To further increase awareness of and participation in "Small Business Saturday," American Express has recently worked alongside business associations, state and local chambers of commerce, and other community organizers who are willing to commit to organizing events or activities to rally their neighborhoods for "Small Business Saturday"; and

Whereas, All of these activities are intended to promote shopping and increase sales at small businesses, assisting them to thrive in the competitive marketplace; and

Whereas, New Jersey residents have supported "Small Business Saturday," since its inception in 2010, by making purchases during the holiday season from small businesses in their own communities and throughout the State; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. The Saturday following Thanksgiving is designated as "Small Business Saturday" to promote shopping and increase sales at small businesses, assisting them to thrive in the competitive marketplace, and the people of New Jersey are urged to participate in the holiday shopping season by patronizing small businesses in their communities on this day.

2. The Governor shall annually issue a proclamation calling upon public officials and the citizens of this State to observe "Small Business Saturday" with appropriate activities and programs.

3. This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.

STATEMENT

This joint resolution designates the Saturday following Thanksgiving as "Small Business Saturday." This joint resolution also requires the Governor to annually issue a proclamation calling upon citizens of this State to observe the Saturday following Thanksgiving as "Small Business Saturday" with appropriate activities and programs.

In an effort to promote smaller businesses, which lack the resources necessary to promote their businesses to the same extent as larger businesses promoting "Black Friday" and "Cyber Monday," the American Express Company (American Express) has popularized the Saturday following Thanksgiving as "Small Business Saturday." American Express continues to provide subsidized advertising to select registered small businesses, which helps these small businesses reach out to their communities and promote their own special sales, events, and rewards. To further increase awareness of and participation in "Small Business Saturday," American Express has recently worked alongside business associations, state and local chambers of commerce, and other community organizers who are willing to commit to organizing events or activities to rally their neighborhoods for "Small Business Saturday."

New Jersey residents have supported "Small Business Saturday," since its inception in 2010, by making purchases during the holiday season from small businesses in their own communities and throughout the State.