On January 23, 2026, President Trump issued an executive order (EO 14377) directing the Small Business Administration (SBA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to issue regulations for disaster rebuilding that preempt state and local permitting processes and replace those processes with a federal self-certification approach.

Just days later, on January 29, 2026, the SBA published an Interim Final Rule (IFR) that implements EO 14377 and allows the federal government to preempt state and local requirements that "delay" disaster recovery projects funded by SBA's Disaster Loan Program. This rule is effective immediately and applies to disaster loans approved nationwide on or after January 1, 2025.

This webinar will examine the legal framework behind EO 14377 and the SBA IFR, and what they mean for state and local permitting authority.