Welcome to the latest ISSA Legislative & Regulatory Update, a biweekly roundup of the public-policy issues currently impacting the full cleaning supply chain. This update touches on the House Ways and Means Committee approving training for essential workers, urging your senators to support the WIPPES Act, a July 24 ISSA webinar on navigating the Corporate Transparency Act, and more.

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ISSA Advocacy

U.S. House Committee Approves Training for Essential Workers
On July 9, the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee officially approved the Education and Workforce Freedom Act (HR 8915) by a vote of 23-13. This bill included legislative text pulled from the ISSA-supported Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act (HR 1477/S 722), which is a public-policy priority for ISSA. The bill would expand qualified expenses under 529 savings plans to include post-secondary training and credentialing, such as licenses and professional certifications for cleaning workers. Learn more

Using ISSA’s Advocacy Action Center, take a moment to email, post on X, and/or call your congressional delegation to request their support for the bipartisan, bicameral Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act to help essential cleaning professionals get trained and certified. Take action

Tell Your Senators to Pass WIPPES Act
Take a moment to email, post on X, and/or call your U.S. Senators to request their support for the bipartisan and bicameral Wastewater Infrastructure Pollution Prevention and Environmental Safety (WIPPES) Act (HR 2964/S 1350). This legislation received unanimous support in committee and passed the U.S. House of Representatives with over 80% support. ISSA; INDA, the association of the nonwoven fabrics industry; and other groups representing the wipes industry and consumers are leading an industry-wide effort to provide clarity to the wipes industry by urging Congress to adopt a uniform DO NOT FLUSH labeling law. Learn more and take action

ISSA Webinar – Navigating the Corporate Transparency Act: What It Means for Your Business
Join us July 24 for an insightful webinar on the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) and its implications for businesses of all sizes. This comprehensive session will demystify the new regulations, detailing what the CTA entails, its objectives, and the steps that you need to take to ensure compliance. Learn more and register

Registration Now Open – Keeping It Clean: Regulatory Compliance Review
Ensure your continued success in the marketplace by attending Keeping it Clean: Regulatory Compliance Review, November 18 in Las Vegas, Nevada. This one-day, in-person workshop hosted by ISSA and HCPA will address the trending topics that impact the manufacturing, packaging, marketing, and sale of household and commercial cleaning products, including regulatory, legislative, and sustainability updates. For questions regarding this workshop, contact ISSA’s Meché Ragland. Learn more and register

Impact of PFAS Regulations on the Cleaning Industry
Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of man-made chemicals that have been widely used in various industries around the globe, including the cleaning industry. However, due to their potential environmental and health risks, many U.S. states have implemented or are considering implementing regulations to restrict or ban the use of PFAS. Learn more

CA Moves Closer to Revising Short Form Warning Requirements: Impact on the Cleaning Industry
California’s Proposition 65 has long been a topic of concern for businesses operating in the state, including those in the cleaning industry. The recent progress made by the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) in revising the short form warning requirements under Proposition 65 is a significant development. Recently, OEHHA published its most recent revisions to the Prop 65 warning requirements seeking additional comment before the revisions are finalized. This article delves into the potential impact of these proposed revisions on the cleaning industry and highlights the importance of staying informed and prepared. Learn more

ISSA Releases 2023-2024 ISSA Advocacy Fund Impact Report
ISSA released the 2023-2024 ISSA Advocacy Fund Impact Report to recognize the association’s most recent government-affairs accomplishments and kick off the fourth annual campaign to support the ISSA Advocacy Fund. Learn more

Last Chance to Register – Regulation of Chemical-Cleaning Products
Join ISSA’s free webinar Introduction to the Regulation of Chemical Cleaning Products in the USA July 31 to gain a clear understanding of the key federal regulations that impact chemical-based cleaning products. This webinar will provide an overview of the major laws that govern labeling and how manufacturers communicate potential hazards related to various cleaning-product categories. Learn more and register

Regulatory and Judicial

New Rule Aims to Protect Workers from Extreme Heat
The U.S. Department of Labor proposed a new worker heat-protection rule. According to Cleaning and Maintenance Management, the proposed rule aims to protect approximately 36 million workers in indoor and outdoor work settings by substantially reducing heat injuries, illnesses, and deaths in the workplace. Learn more

New Overtime-Pay Rule Takes Effect
New overtime-pay regulations took effect July 1, which the U.S. Department of Labor passed under the Fair Labor Standards Act. According to Cleaning and Maintenance Management, the new rule extends overtime protections for millions of salaried workers. Learn more

Federal Judge Partially Blocks Ban on Non-Competes
A federal court in Texas partially blocked the government’s ban on non-compete agreements that was set to take effect September 4, NPR reports. Ryan LLC, a tax services firm in Dallas, had sued to block the rule just hours after the U.S. Federal Trade Commission voted narrowly to ban non-competes for almost all U.S. workers in April. The decision, from Judge Ada Brown of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, postpones the effective date of the non-compete ban for the plaintiffs. Learn more

Supreme Court Rulings Increase Odds to Win Chemical-Rule Challenges
Three recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions increase industries’ chances of winning regulatory challenges, but only after a period of divergent lower court rulings on what the nation’s primary commercial-chemical law requires, according to Bloomberg Law. Learn more

OSHA Offers $12.7M in Safety-Training Grants
The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) announced the availability of more than US$12.7 million in Susan Harwood Training Grants. The deadline for grant applications is July 26. Learn more

Industries Fearing Port Strike Urge Biden to Revive Labor Talks
U.S. industry associations urged the White House to help restart stalled talks between East and Gulf coast dockworkers and port operators, saying a strike is the last thing that the economy needs amid already strained global-supply chains, SupplyChainBrain reports. Learn more

State News

CA Releases Department of Pesticide Regulation Audit
The California State Auditor released the findings from its audit of the state’s Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR). Key findings from the audit confirmed systemic challenges within DPR, including the need for consistent and predictable registration timelines. ISSA supports fully operational regulatory agencies. Accordingly, we will continue to engage and partner with DPR, the California Environmental Protection Agency, the Governor, and legislators to provide input on processes that better serve our member companies. Learn more

CA Lawmakers Approve Changes to Law Allowing Workers to Sue Employers over Labor Violations
The California Legislature approved bills that would amend a 20-year-old law allowing workers to sue their bosses over labor violations and require employers found liable to pay a fine to the state, AP reports. The legislation would lower the financial penalty for some employers and compel them to correct violations. Learn more