State Sen. Pam Roach, R-rural Auburn, was honored recently with the Guardian of Small Business award for her support of policies that protect and encourage small businesses.

The National Federation of Independent Business award was given to legislators whose voting records in 2011-12 supported small businesses at least 80 percent of the time. Roach has received the NFIB Guardian of Small Business award multiple times during her service to the 31st District in the state Senate.

“For the NFIB to recognize me as a small-business guardian once again is very gratifying,” Roach said. “I appreciate the work it takes to get a small business up and running and how hard it is to weather economic storms like we are experiencing now. I salute the tenancy of small business owners, who account for 96 percent of the state’s 235,230 businesses and provide 70 percent of the jobs.”

The award was announced Monday.