After months of heated debate, delayed votes, and passionate negotiations, the day has finally arrived: Congress has passed, and the President has signed, a $1.2 trillion bipartisan infrastructure package. While the legislation’s full impact won’t be felt for months or longer as money is allocated and projects are planned, this delay may offer time for supply chain issues and labor shortages to recover to meet the ever increasing demand. At the state level, legislative activity continues to address environmental issues, as well as interior design title and practice act legislation in Wisconsin and Massachusetts.
— Steven Campeau
Manager, Governance
scampeau@nkba.org
FEDERAL ACTIVITY
U.S. Senate: Bipartisan Energy Savings and Industrial Competitiveness (ESIC) which includes $120 million to optimize energy efficiency at manufacturing and industrial facilities and $45 million annual grant through 2026 to implement cost-effective building codes, signed into law.
U.S. Employee Retention Credit (ERC): The recently passed infrastructure bill ends the popular ERC early, making wages paid after Sept. 30, 2021, ineligible for the credit.
Lumber Prices: Supply shortages due to pricing in Canada and domestic labor disputes are again driving prices higher, as the U.S. is still considering doubling the Canadian softwood tariff.
U.S. Department of Energy (DOE): DOE partners with the heating industry to improve performance and energy-efficiency of cold climate heat pumps via the Cold Climate Heat Pump Technology Challenge.
U.S. COVID-19 Relief: Small Business Administration (SBA) Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) program, second only to the Paycheck Protection Program in popularity, comes to2222222222 on December 31, 2021.
STATE ACTIVITY
Massachusetts: Legislature introduces new draft title act for interior design, which includes protections for NKBA kitchen and bath designers.
Maryland: Maryland Climate Change Commission’s recommendations to reduce the use of fossil fuels for building heating dramatically by 2035 and call for zero direct building emissions by 2045, meets some resistance.
New York: Senate Bill 6483, known as the “all electric building act” amended to potentially gain traction, while Ithaca becomes first U.S. city to begin 100% decarbonization of buildings, with over 1,000 residential and 600 commercial buildings set during the phase one electrification process.
Wisconsin: Senate Committee on Government Operations, Legal Review, and Consumer Protection recommends passage of Senate Bill 344, which Concerns registration and the scope of practice of interior designers.
COVID-19 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 by state here.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Federal and State Legislative Contacts
Interested in some of the topics above? Don’t forget to contact your Federal and State Legislators to let them know your thoughts! 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 or have suggestions on topics you want to see in future newsletters, please reach out directly to Steven Campeau, NKBA’s Governance Manager, 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.
