The National Federation of Independent Businesses in Minnesota announced the presentation of its Guardian of Small Business Award to Rep. Peggy Bennett, R-Albert Lea, according to a press release.

“I’m honored to earn this award, and always work to support small businesses in our area and around the state,” Bennett said. “There’s still more work to do to support main street business, and I look forward to that challenge.”

With 10,000 members statewide, NFIB is Minnesota’s largest small-business group in terms of entities. NFIB gives out its Guardian of Small Business award at both the federal and state level to recognize lawmakers who have been supportive of small business on critical issues. Bennett’s award was based on votes she took during the 2017-18 sessions of the Minnesota Legislature. She made many votes beneficial to small business including:

• Supported tax reduction and reform legislation that was beneficial for small business that included a significant business property tax reduction, section 179 conformity and estate tax conformity.

• Supported a 25 percent reduction in health insurance premiums in 2017 for those in the individual market that was also signed into law, and which made other critical insurance reforms to make the Minnesota market more competitive.

• Supported legislation that preempts local units of government from enacting minimum wages higher than the state’s, and from imposing other new mandates on local employers.