NEPPA Legislative Action Watch

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Nearly 70 industry leaders traveled to Washington, D.C. for PPAI’s Legislative Education and Action Day (L.E.A.D).  The representatives from NEPPA were Michael Moore (Bay State); Stephen Monahan (THEMCO, LLC); Clyde Sylvia (Gemline); Rick Brenner (Prime Resources); David Engel (Greystone International Products Corp.) and Nick D’Eramo (Triple Stitch Sportswear).  They met with Members of Congress from all six New England states.

Current issues affecting the promotional products industry that were addressed included:
1. The importance to our approximately 60,000 INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS of maintaining the “safe harbor” rule, Section 530 of the Revenue Act of 1978.

2. The importance of considering the effect upon Small Business (of which 97% of our industry is) of any changes to the TAX CODE. As many small businesses are S Corporations or LLC’s, income is taxed at the
individual rates and not the corporate rates.

3. The importance of WELLNESS PROGRAMS to reducing the overall healthcare costs. We would like to see these programs supported by exempting incentives, recognitions, and awards from taxation, up to a $400 limit.

4. The importance of SAFETY RECOGNITION PROGRAMS in making a cultural change in the outlook towards safety. Instant recognition of one performing a safety act develops safety consciousness.

5. We all know that PROMOTIONAL PRODUCTS WORK and their use as a legitimate form of advertising and communications must be preserved. This is one medium that allows the small businesses, as well as the large businesses, to get out their message and to brand themselves.

NEPPA and PPAI make it easy to communicate with your elected officials.  Please get involved, be on the lookout for legislative alerts and work with us. It will take you under 3 minutes to help protect your industry.

PPAI Links:
Act Now to Protect the Role of Independent Contractors in the Promotional Products Industry
Washington Report – PPAI publishes reports from lobbying efforts in D.C. each month. Review the Washington Report to learn more about the critical issues facing the industry.
Legislative Guide – Use the links in this guide to help you contact your elected officials, stay up to date on legislative news and reinforce the message that promotional products work.

PPAI L.A.W. website – http://www.ppai.org/inside-ppai/ppai-law/
Features:

• Up to the minute information on federal legislative issues.
• Pledge to commit to advocating for the industry and to create meaningful relationships with your legislators.
• Information on annual L.E.A.D. day and August recess advocacy.
• Washington Report – critical issues facing the industry.
• PPAI Legislative Software – Take action and track the issues using this innovative system.
• The Little Black Book of Legislative Success – This pocketbook guide offers you statistics you can use when advocating on behalf of the industry, guides to contacting political officials during different legislative seasons, strategies to employ when addressing political officials and directions to other online advocacy resources.