Springtime is in the air! That means warmer weather, blossoming trees, allergies for some (including myself) and Federal action on tariffs! The Biden Administration continues to pursue tariffs on many Chinese goods implemented during the Trump Administration, while simultaneously reinstating several hundred product tariff exemptions. Meanwhile, Congress seeks to make American businesses more competitive with China through the COMPETES Act by bolstering American manufacturing and easing supply chain issues. These supply chain issues continue to impact the kitchen and bath industry with 86% of firms saying supply chain challenges are a major or moderate disruption to their business.
-Steven Campeau
Governance Manager
scampeau@nkba.org
Federal Activity
U.S. Federal Spending: President Bident announces $3.2 billion plan to retrofit hundreds of thousands of homes by modernizing eligible homes with cost-effective upgrades, replacing older refrigerators and appliances for more efficient models, and replacing leaky windows and doors.
America COMPETES Act of 2022: The House and Senate pass different versions of the COMPETES Act, sending the legislation to a committee to work out the differences on this sprawling bill aimed at helping American businesses become more competitive with China through direct investments in manufacturing and addressing supply chain issues.
U.S. – China Tariffs: The U.S. reinstated 352 product exclusions from tariffs on Chinese imports, including some showerheads and building materials. A full list of product exclusions can be found here. Meanwhile, U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai states U.S. policy to address Chinese trade policies will be expanded.
U.S. Small Business Administration: SBA Administrator Guzman issues statement to recognize the one-year anniversary of the American Rescue Plan and its $450 billion in recovery funds to 6 million entrepreneurs to assist with enduring the COVID-19 pandemic.
State Activity
Alabama: Senate Bill 246 which would have required residential home builders to build, renovate, and repair residences in accordance with the minimum standards set by the Alabama Residential Building Code, has failed.
California: Seen as a leading state for energy efficiency and building electrification, check out what the state has enacted so far and what is on the horizon in 2022.
Hawaii: Senate considers prohibiting the sale or installation of natural gas-burning appliances such as water heaters, refrigerators, stoves, ranges, dishwashers, clothes dryers, air conditioners, decorative fireplaces, and other similar devices in new construction within the state with Senate Bill 2952.
Louisiana: House Bill 602 seeks to establish the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors (LSLBC) to oversee the occupation of contracting in the state.
New Jersey: Legislature re-introduces Assembly Bill 2138 and Senate Bill 1890, which failed to gain traction last legislative session, that would require any contractor working on home restorations to register with the Division of Consumer Affairs.
New York: State continues to seek ways to decarbonize buildings via the State Budget proposal, while Long Island lawmakers and workers argue making future construction all-electric by 2027 is unrealistic and needs to be phased in at a slower pace.
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.
Archives
To view our Government Relations Newsletter archive page, click 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, 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.
