What. A. Month. The biggest news: The $1.9 trillion stimulus package finally passed despite a lot of twists and turns. Hopefully with its passage, Congress can look at other initiatives like helping the building and construction industry. The industry is looking for relief on prices and material shortages as the residential remodeling market continues its rampant growth. Not helping: A (finally freed) lodged ship that caused a 6-day blockage of the Suez Canal, one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. And just think it’s only March!
-Steven Campeau
NKBA Government Relations Specialist
FEDERAL ACTIVITY
Another Round of Stimulus: $1.9 Trillion COVID-19 Package Signed into Law
While Congress and the Federal Reserve have already allocated more than $6 trillion toward relief since the pandemic began, another $1.9 trillion was passed by Congress, and signed by President Biden, for additional assistance. Known as the American Rescue Plan Act, it follows a similar framework of prior relief legislation by including up to $1,400 direct payments to eligible Americans, addressing unemployment benefits, $22 billion in rental assistance, $48 billion in funding for COVID-19 testing and $7.5 billion for vaccination distribution. Additionally, the package provides $350 billion for state and local governments and $7.25 billion in funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP). The PPP, a critical lifeline that is responsible for 8.2 million loans totaling $718 billion, was extended to May 31. Originally set to expire on March 31, the extension of the program is welcome news to the roughly 200,000 applicants currently waiting for loan applications to be approved by the SBA. Please visit the SBA’s website for PPP information.
170% – The increase in lumber prices over the past 11 months. And they are still increasing.
Soaring Lumber Prices: Intervention and Relief Sought by Building Industry
The continuous rise in lumber prices shows no signs of abating, as the pandemic continues the fever for home renovations and a commensurate increase in the construction cost of new homes. The Biden Administration and Congressional leaders are being urged by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the Associated General Contractors of America (AGC) to help mitigate this “growing threat to housing and the economy” by encouraging domestic lumber suppliers to ramp up production and by making it a priority to work with Canada on a new softwood lumber agreement. In 2017, the Trump Administration implemented a 20% tariff on most Canadian lumber, which was reduced to 9% by the Commerce Department at the end of 2020. With prices still increasing, up 170% over the past 11 months, the industry continues to seek further action from the federal government.
STATE ACTIVITY
Water Conservation and Efficiency Legislation Continues to Surface Across the Country
Water-saving products continue to be in high demand as federal and state legislation and regulation further address this topic. New Jersey Assembly Bill 5160 addresses various water efficiency products, including residential kitchen faucets and bathroom showerheads. According to the proposed legislation, a residential kitchen faucet or replacement aerator for a residential kitchen faucet shall not exceed a maximum flow rate of 1.8 gallons per minute at 60 pounds per square inch, and a lavatory faucet and a showerhead shall not exceed a maximum flow rate of 2.0 gallons per minute at 80 pounds per square inch. Arizona House Bill 2286 seeks to align its state’s plumbing fixtures with the Federal Watersense program, while Oregon House Bill 2062 and Maine House Bill 696 seek to follow requirements set by California Code of Regulations for lavatory and kitchen faucets, as well as showerheads.
The US Department of Energy is facing an appeal to its recent ruling to allow 2.5 gallons of water per minute on each showerhead nozzle.
While states are seeking stricter water efficiency regulations, the US Department of Energy is facing an appeal to its recent ruling to allow 2.5 gallons of water per minute on each showerhead nozzle. Prior to this rule, the DOE had been clear that showerhead manufacturers and distributors may only sell showerheads in the U.S. with a maximum flow rate of 2.5 gpm, regardless of how many nozzles the showerhead may have. For more information on this topic, please review this educational article from the Alliance for Water Efficiency.
NKBA-ASID-IIDA Mutually Agreed-Upon Model Interior Design Title and Practice Act Legislation Continues to be introduced in Planned States
Following up on last month’s government relations newsletter, which discussed interior design title and practice acts in Alaska, Massachusetts, and Nebraska, additional states have introduced interior design legislation. This includes North Carolina House Bill 223, Oklahoma House Bill 1147 and Iowa House Bill 781. NKBA still anticipates legislation to be filed in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin on this topic. NKBA will continue to monitor these bills throughout the legislative sessions on behalf of our members. If any members in these states have questions about these bills, please contact NKBA’s Government Relations Specialist, Steven Campeau, at scampeau@nkba.org.
COVID-19 State Updates and Available Resources
To keep current on what individual states are doing to combat COVID-19, this interactive map, online platform and resource center might be of interest. The interactive map shows all COVID-19-related legislative activity that each state has enacted, while the online platform and resource center provide important information related to COVID-19. Interested in learning more about COVID-19 vaccinations? Track vaccination doses in your state here and see if you are eligible for the vaccine here.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Federal and State Legislative Contacts
Don’t forget to contact your Federal and State Legislators for government information and resources. Legislative staff are available to answer any questions on legislation, or walk you through governmental processes.
NKBA Legislative Contact
NKBA will monitor relevant legislative developments at the state and federal levels, and, where appropriate, provide information to members concerning material issues and developments — including laws and regulations that might impact the kitchen and bath industry. If you have any questions or comments on legislation, please reach out directly to Steven Campeau, NKBA’s Government Relations Specialist, at scampeau@nkba.org.
NOTE: NKBA is providing this material for general information only. This information does not constitute the provision of legal advice, tax/investment advice, accounting services or professional consulting of any kind, nor should it be construed as such. NKBA is not a lobbying organization and does not have a Political Action Committee (PAC). Resources such as this are meant solely for informational purposes.
