Small businesses are the beating heart of the U.S. economy, employing 61 million workers. But not all small businesses have their own brand names. Many operate as independent franchises under the logo of a larger company. In fact, the U.S. franchise system comprises more than 750,000 small businesses, including restaurants, fitness centers, moving companies, cleaning services, and hardware stores, among others.

Newly proposed federal legislation will help protect this ecosystem of small businesses from a regulation that threatens their autonomy.