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 the June 14 ISSA webinar on the regulation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in cleaning products, the Ocean Shipping Reform Act as a bipartisan vehicle to address persistent supply chain challenges, U.S. review of tariffs on Chinese products, and more.

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ISSA Advocacy

Register Today – The Regulation of VOCs in Cleaning Products
Register today 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 more than 35 years of experience in the cleaning product regulations field, will lead this webinar.

Legislative

Bipartisan Solutions to Shipping and Supply Chain Crises
In this Black Hills Pioneer opinion piece, U.S. Senator John Thune (R-SD) explains why he, along with Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), introduced the Ocean Shipping Reform Act, which, if enacted, would help “more quickly resolve detention and demurrage disputes…And the legislation would take steps to improve the movement of goods at our nation’s ports, which would help ease supply chain bottlenecks and improve the speed at which goods reach consumers.” The Senate unanimously advanced the bill in March, sending it to the House of Representatives for consideration. ISSA strongly endorses this bipartisan legislation.

Regulatory

U.S. Begins Review of China Tariffs
The U.S. is beginning a review of American tariffs imposed on Chinese products ahead of their expiration in July, with some policymakers calling for a reduction to provide relief to consumers facing rising prices, Nikkei Asia reported.

Economy Shrinks 1.4% in First Quarter
The U.S. economy shrank 1.4% annually in the first quarter of 2022, according to the U.S. Commerce Department and as reported by U.S. News & World Report, a sharp decline from the fourth quarter of 2021.

State News

Cal/OSHA Revises, Readopts COVID-19 ETS for Third Time
The California Occupational Safety & Health Standards (Cal/OSHA) Board voted to revise and readopt the COVID-19 emergency temporary standards (ETS) for the third time, JD Supra reported. The third revised ETS is expected to take effect the first week of May and will remain in place until December 31, 2022. This article summarizes the changes between the third revised version and the second version of the ETS.

Hawaii Raises Minimum Wage to $18
Hawaii lawmakers passed legislation that would increase the state’s minimum wage to US$18 an hour by 2028, potentially the highest in the nation, according to Cleaning & Maintenance Management. The bill now goes to Hawaii Governor David Ige (D), who has said that he supports an $18 minimum wage.