Tile Roofing Industry Alliance Lobbyist, Craig Brightup, has provided the latest government relations update and activities on the following from August 2024:

Regulatory Roundup

• OSHA Heat Standard – the Heat Injury/Illness rulemaking will be published tomorrow (8/30) in the Federal Register triggering a 120-day comment period ending Dec. 30.
• OSHA Worker Walkaround Rule – the U.S. Chamber of Commerce filed a motion in federal court to block the rule and it appears that DOL/OSHA have yet to respond.
• DOL OT Regs – at a hearing in the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, judges appeared skeptical of DOL’s methodology for new Overtime salary thresholds.
• DOL IC Regs – rulings are expected soon from five legal challenges to the Independent Contractor regulations.
• NLRB – the Senate HELP Committee advanced Chair Lauren McFerran’s (D) renomination for another term and TRIA signed a letter in opposition.
• FTC Noncompete Ban – a Texas federal judge permanently blocked the ban on August 20!
• CTA Reporting – Senate Banking Chair Sherrod Brown (D-OH) continues to resist growing sentiment in Congress to delay Corporate Transparency Act reporting requirements.

Labor Relations

Presidential candidate Kamala Harris and VP candidate Tim Walz have fully endorsed the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act, which would drastically change the National Labor Relations Act and other laws to favor unions. The PRO Act would eliminate right to work laws, encourage “card check” certification for collective bargaining, legalize secondary boycotts, mandate California AB5’s test for determining independent contractor status, re-establish the NLRB joint-employer rule recently struck down by a federal court, and massively increase penalties on employers, among other provisions.

Congressional Numbers

With the passing away of Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-NJ) in August, there are currently 220 Republicans, 211 Democrats, and 4 vacancies in the House.

For more information on the TRIA Alliance and our Government Relations efforts, please visit our website at www.tileroofing.org.