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 new ISSA State Advocacy Leaders program, comments that ISSA submitted to EPA regarding Safer Choice, ISSA urging congressional support for legislation to promote training, and more.

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ISSA Advocacy

ISSA Launches New State Advocacy Leaders Program
​Are you an ISSA member with a strong interest in advocating for our industry at the state and federal levels? Become an ISSA State Advocacy Leader (SAL)! The SAL program is a new ISSA advocacy initiative that builds on our grassroots Advocates for Clean to further engage even more ISSA members in advocacy to further impact legislation and regulations important to the cleaning industry. SALs will receive advocacy training and education, engage with policymakers, as well as serve as industry leaders. Learn more and complete a brief survey of interest

ISSA Submits Comments on Modifications to Safer Choice Standard
On January 16, ISSA submitted comments to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on proposed changes to the Safer Choice program, including the creation of a cleaning service provider (CSP) certification. ISSA generally supports the creation of a Safer Choice CSP certification but believes, based on our unique understanding as the leading trade association for the cleaning industry and discussions we have had with cleaning service providers, that key changes should be made to ensure that this certification is workable and appealing to prospective applicants. Learn more

ISSA Urges Congressional Support for Legislation to Promote Training
As a member of Tomorrow’s Workforce Coalition, ISSA urged Representative Jason Smith (R-MO), Chair, Committee on Ways and Means, and Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR), Chair, Committee on Finance, to include the bipartisan, bicameral Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act (H.R. 1477/S. 722) in their Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act. H.R. 1477/S. 722 would expand qualified expenses under 529-savings plans to include post-secondary training and credentialing programs like ISSA’s Cleaning Industry Management Standard (CIMS) Certification. Learn more

International Cleaning Week Honors Cleaning Professionals around the World
International Cleaning Week takes place March 24-30, 2024. The week-long event hosted by ISSA is a global celebration to honor front-line cleaning professionals and advocates for the industry. Learn more

Help ISSA Submit a Cleaning Week Proclamation to Your State
The first governor to proclaim a Cleaning Week as part of International Cleaning Week (ICW) 2024 (March 24-30) is Georgia Governor Brian P. Kemp! Thank you to Governor Kemp for this recognition and to Connor Waldron with JAN-PRO of NE Georgia-Aiken and JAN-PRO of Athens for submitting this proclamation request on behalf of ISSA.

Help ISSA raise awareness about the value of clean by submitting a proclamation to designate an official week of cleaning for your state! Nearly every state has an online proclamation form that a resident of that state can use to submit a proclamation request free of charge. ISSA has already written a template proclamation, but we need your help submitting the proclamation requests by February 16. Help us reach our goal of designating a cleaning week in all 50 states. States where we still need to submit a request include AK, CO, CT, DE, HI, KY, LA, ME, MS, MT, NE, ND, RI, UT, WV, WI, and WY. If you’re interested in helping ISSA with this campaign and/or have questions regarding ICW, please contact ISSA’s Stacy Seiden. Learn more

Time Is Running out to Take Advantage of Early-Bird Registration for ISSA’s Clean Advocacy Summit
Register now for the 2024 ISSA Clean Advocacy Summit and join your cleaning-industry leaders as we impact regulations and legislation important to you and our industry April 10-11 in Washington, DC! Take advantage of early-bird registration available now through February 15. ISSA is co-hosting the summit with INDA, the Association of the Nonwoven Fabrics Industry; the Institute of Inspection Cleaning and Restoration Certification; and the Workplace Solutions Association. The 2024 summit would not be possible without our Presenting Sponsor Tork, an Essity Brand; Gold Sponsor Route; and Silver Sponsors: Aunt Flow, Bobrick, Citron Hygiene, Hospeco Brands Group, Imperial Dade, Maid Brigade, MaskIT, Spartan, and the Vonachen Group. Learn more and register

Legislative

Biden Signs Stopgap-Funding Bill
President Joe Biden signed a stopgap-funding bill that will keep the government open into early March and buy lawmakers time to finish the formal appropriations process, The Hill reports. Biden signed the two-step continuing resolution a day after Congress voted to send the legislation to the President’s desk. The bill pushes the government funding deadline to March 1 for four appropriations bills and extends the deadline for eight others until March 8. Learn more

Draft Legislation Would Halt ERC Filings by January 31, 2024
On January 16, the U.S. House Committee on Ways and Means released draft legislation entitled The Tax Relief for American Families and Workers Act. The legislation includes a “pay for” proposal to end the ability of employers to submit Employee Retention Credit (ERC) claims after January 31, 2024, according to CliftonLarsonAllen. The original and current final deadline for submission is April 15, 2024, for 2020 claims and April 15, 2025, for 2021 claims. Learn more

House Votes to Repeal Labor-Board Rule on Contract, Franchise Workers
The U.S. House of Representatives voted to repeal a federal labor-board rule set to take effect in March that would treat companies as the employers of many contract and franchise workers and require them to bargain with those workers’ unions, Reuters reports. The vote sends the proposal to the Senate where Democrats hold a one-seat majority, but Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) said that he opposes the rule. According to the White House, President Joe Biden would veto the resolution if it passed both houses of Congress. Learn more

Regulatory

OSHA Civil Penalties Increase
The U.S. Occupational and Safety Health Administration’s (OSHA) maximum penalties for willful or repeat violations increased approximately 3.2%, Safety + Health reports. The 2024 increases–to US$161,323 from $156,259 in 2023–are legally mandated by January 15 each year under the Civil Penalties Inflation Adjustment Act. Because January 15 was a federal holiday, this year’s changes are effective January 16. Learn more