A new system created by the Secretary of State’s Office will allow business owners around the state to file formation forms online.
Secretary of State John Merrill said the system will be a “removal of inefficient bureaucratic red tape.”
“Taking this service online provides additional access and resources to the people of Alabama and allows small business owners to focus on the important things that come with starting or managing a small business,” Merrill said.
Businesses wishing to form must first file with the Secretary of State’s Office for proper licensing.
The Secretary of State’s Office is celebrating its business division that they say is working effectively.
According to a recent statement by the Secretary of State’s Office, the division is processing business application forms on the same day that they are received by the office. The office processed same-day requests for 100 weeks in a row on Monday.
“When I started campaigning to become Secretary of State in 2013, I was informed that the business division at the Alabama Secretary of State’s Office was seven to nine months behind on business filings,” Merrill said. “That was shocking and unacceptable to the people of Alabama and something that I knew needed attention, structure, and accountability.”
The Secretary of State’s Office under Merrill has changed significantly when putting information online. Notably, they reformed campaign finance reports to better show where money comes and goes from political campaigns.
It gained national attention during the U.S. Senate special election in December.
