News

ISSA LARU—California Discontinues Prop 65 Short-Form Warning Revisions

Welcome to the latest ISSA Legislative & Regulatory Update (LARU), a biweekly roundup of the latest public-policy issues impacting the full spectrum of the cleaning industry. This update touches on California dropping revisions to its Prop 65 Short-Form warnings, the formation of the Healthy Workplaces Coalition, the release of the 2021-2022 ISSA Advocacy Fund Impact Report, and more.

Want to stay informed about critical government affairs impacting the industry? Sign up here to have the ISSA Legislative & Regulatory Update emailed to you every other week!

And be sure to check out the latest installment of our video series, Cleaning Is Essential, with ISSA Director of Government Affairs John Nothdurft, to learn more about the top three advocacy issues impacting the cleaning industry right now.

ISSA Advocacy

California Drops Revisions to Prop 65 Short-Form Warning
The proposed rulemaking to amend the Short-Form Proposition 65 warnings has been discontinued for now by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, with a promise to renew its efforts in the “next several weeks.” The proposed rulemaking was opposed by ISSA, the California Chamber of Commerce, and numerous other industry groups because it would have drastically altered the Short-Form Warning safe harbor language that was enacted just a few years ago and widely adopted by industry.

ISSA Helps Lead New Healthy Workplaces Coalition; Additional HWC Members Invited
More than ever, businesses need help as they face the unexpected costs of deploying proven workplace solutions and strategies to address a post-COVID-19 pandemic environment, as well as broader health and safety issues in the future. While several policy proposals have emerged to address this challenge, Congress has yet to significantly help incentivize healthy workplace improvements. Accordingly, ISSA, as a Steering Committee member of the new, non-partisan Healthy Workplaces Coalition, will work with leading nonprofits, trade associations, companies, and other entities to promote and advocate for safer and healthier workplaces, including federal policies that help businesses achieve this goal. To learn more about and become a member of the Healthy Workplaces Coalition, please contact ISSA Government Affairs Director John Nothdurft.

2021-2022 ISSA Advocacy Fund Impact Report
ISSA proudly released the 2021-2022 ISSA Advocacy Fund Impact Report. In June 2020, the association created the ISSA Advocacy Fund (IAF) to build on the success of its government affairs efforts. Since then, the IAF has successfully influenced and impacted legislation and regulations affecting the full spectrum of the cleaning industry. Some 2021-2022 IAF highlights include: the introduction of the Healthy and Safe Tax Credit in Congress, EPA expansion of its Safer Choice program, passage of the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, introduction of the Essential Workers for Economic Advancement Act in the U.S. House of Representatives, and more.

The Regulation of VOCs in Cleaning Products
Save your seat for the ISSA webinar The Regulation of VOCs in Cleaning Products, 12 pm to 1 pm CT on Tuesday, June 14, to learn about the latest developments related to the regulation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in commercial and household cleaning products. VOCs in cleaning products are extensively regulated by a confusing patchwork of state and federal regulations that are constantly in flux, making it imperative for manufacturers and distributors of cleaning products to stay abreast of the most recent changes. ISSA General Counsel Bill Balek, who has over 35 years of experience in the cleaning product regulations field, will lead this June 14 webinar.

A Clean View from Capitol Hill: Your Legislative & Regulatory Update
Register now for the free ISSA webinar A Clean View from Capitol Hill: Your Legislative & Regulatory Update, 12 pm to 1 pm CT on Wednesday, August 17. Now more than ever, government affairs affect your business and the cleaning industry. As the spotlight on our industry increases, so too has the interest of legislators and regulators. Join us for the “inside scoop” about what is going on in Washington, DC and the states on the top issues facing the industry, such as labor shortages, supply chain challenges, healthy workplace incentives, chemical regulations, and more. Speakers for this webinar include ISSA Government Affairs Director John Nothdurft.

Legislative

Senate Blocks $48 Billion Relief Package for Restaurants, Other Small Businesses
The U.S. Senate blocked a bipartisan bill to provide US$48 billion to restaurants, gyms, and other small businesses hit particularly hard by the pandemic, The Hill reported. Senators voted 52-43 to hold a vote on the bill, falling short of the 60-vote threshold that is required to move forward. Five Republican senators voted for the motion to proceed, with the bill’s opponents citing its impact on the federal deficit and inflation. ISSA endorsed this legislation, which included funds for protective equipment and cleaning materials.

Legislation Introduced to Incentivize Air Quality Assessments, Upgrades
U.S. Representative Don Beyer (D-VA-8) introduced legislation that would incentivize non-residential building owners to conduct indoor air quality assessments and upgrade their ventilation and air filtration systems, according to the Augusta Free Press. The introduction of the Airborne Act followed a sharp uptick in workers returning to in-person work in April, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Key Trade Issues in USICA and COMPETES
On May 12, Congress held the first meeting of the conference committee tasked with reconciling the differences between the Senate-passed United States Innovation and Competition Act (USICA) and the House-passed America Creating Opportunities for Manufacturing, Pre-Eminence in Technology, and Economic Strength (COMPETES) Act. This American Action Forum paper considers the eight most important trade provisions and provides guidance on which are pro-growth and should be pursued regardless of the conference outcome, which either introduce new costs for U.S. businesses or unnecessarily increase government spending and should be carefully debated, and which were introduced after limited debate, would advance untested programs that impose new trade barriers, and should be closely scrutinized or simply discarded.

Regulatory

EPA Reveals Redesigned DfE Logo
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) launched a new Design for the Environment (DfE) logo. The updated logo will appear on certified antimicrobial products like disinfectants and sanitizers within the next year. According to the EPA, the DfE logo helps consumers and commercial buyers identify antimicrobial products that meet the health and safety standards of the normal pesticide registration process required by the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act as well as other rigorous criteria required by the agency.

Biden Launches Indo-Pacific Trade Deal
President Joe Biden launched a new trade deal with 12 Indo-Pacific nations aimed at strengthening their economies as he warned Americans concerned about high inflation that it is “going to be a haul” before they feel relief, AP reported. The president said that he does not believe an economic recession is inevitable in the U.S. Biden, speaking at a news conference after holding talks with Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, acknowledged that the U.S. economy has “problems” but said that they were “less consequential than the rest of the world has.”

State News

Inflation Triggers California Minimum Wage Increase
California’s minimum wage will increase to $15.50 per hour next year, an increase triggered by rising inflation that will benefit about three million workers, AP reported.

Ports Begin Contract Talks with Dockworkers
Contract negotiations are underway for workers at the Ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach, according to the Los Angeles Business Journal. The talks between the Pacific Maritime Association, representing employers at 29 ports along the West Coast, and the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, which represents 15,600 dockworkers at those ports, started two weeks ago. The current contract expires July 1.