The Opening Worker-Ownership: A New Economic Resilience Strategy (OWNERS) Amendment Act of 2025 aims to address the high closure rates of small businesses in the District of Columbia by directing the Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection (DLCP) to survey the local business ecosystem and develop a strategy to facilitate worker cooperative conversions. This process allows business owners to sell their enterprises to their employees, thereby promoting economic resilience and community ownership. The bill highlights the potential benefits of cooperatives, which have shown to be more sustainable than traditional business models, and seeks to reinvigorate the District's historical commitment to cooperative economics.

To implement this strategy, the bill introduces a new section to the District of Columbia Consumer Protection Procedures Act, mandating the DLCP to conduct a survey by November 1, 2025, to gather insights from business owners and employees regarding potential business closures and opportunities for cooperative conversions. The findings will inform a report due by March 1, 2026, which will include policy recommendations and strategies for enhancing cooperative and community wealth-building infrastructure. The legislation emphasizes the importance of community engagement and support for low-income and historically marginalized workers, aiming to create a more equitable economic landscape in the District.