Issues & AdvocacyState

Welcome to this week’s edition of Close Relations. For more advocacy news, please see the April 14 edition of the ANGLE.

HOT ISSUES:

• Indiana – Nursing Home Construction: SB 460 is heading for the House floor; the bill would ban nursing home construction for Medicaid beds. For more information, contact Jason Shelley at jshelley@aiaindiana.org
• Alabama – Statute of Repose: HB 132 passed the House, 90-0, and has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill reduces Alabama's Statute of Repose for architects, engineers and contractors from 13 years to 7 years. The statute of limitations will remain at 2 years. For more information, contact Pat Davis, FAIA at pdavis@cmharch.com
• Texas – Architect/Engineer Compromise: HB 2284 was voted out of the House Licensing Committee, and now goes to the Local & Consent Calendar then on to the Senate.
• Hawaii – General Excise Tax: The Hawaii Senate passed HB 793 SD1; the bill does away with the General Excise Tax (GET) exemption for contractors, including architects and engineers until 2015.
• Florida – Interior Design: The Florida House of Representatives passed HB 5005, which will deregulate 14 professions including interior designers, removing them from the list of licensed design professionals. The bill is now in the Senate.

AROUND THE HORN:

• State Chapters celebrate Architecture Week (April 10-16) & Month (April):

1. AIA South Carolina held its annual Legislative Breakfast on April 13, and had the Chapter introduced from the Gallery of the House Chamber afterward. During the breakfast, they announced the 2nd annual Legacy Project program, in which legislators can submit projects for selection to have a design charrette held in their home district. Governor Nikki Haley also proclaimed April 10-16, 2011 “Architecture Week” in South Carolina.

2. The AIA Iowa PR Committee produced a newspaper insert proclaiming Architecture Month, and received a proclamation signed by the governor Terry Branstad.

3. AIA Colorado’s Architecture Month activities can be found here.

• AIA Tennessee held its annual Day on the Hill on April 13.
• Congress out of session April 18-May 1 – meet with your Reps! Now is a good time to schedule a district meeting with your Senator or Representative during their concurrent recesses. AIA members from both Minnesota and Washington have scheduled district meetings with their respective Congressional Representatives – Rep. Chip Cravaack (R-MN) and Jaime Herrera Beutler (R-WA).

SGN MONTHLY OPEN CALL:

The next Open Call will take place on April 27 from 3:30-4:30 pm, Eastern Daylight Time (GMT-04:00).

AIA Vice President and General Counsel Jay Stephens will lead a discussion titled “AIA Public Policies & Position Statements: Avoiding Legal Pitfalls.” Discussion topics will include:

• The AIA Office of General Counsel: What we do, and how we can help you.
• The AIA’s Public Policies and Position Statements: What components and members need to know about compliance, and the process required in seeking exceptions.
• Antitrust discussion: Learning the basics on antitrust compliance, including the following:

1. Why can’t we talk about fees?

2. What is a group boycott, and why is it prohibited?

3. How can you work with state legislatures and agencies on subjects affecting competition without violating antitrust laws?

• Amicus Briefs: What we look for in deciding to support components in court cases.
• And the Rest of the Story: Legal issues you’d like to talk about.

Event address for attendees: https://aiaevents.webex.com/aiaevents/onstage/g.php?d=666105640&t=a

Event number: 666 105 640

Event password: Welcome11

THIS WEEK IN STATE RELATIONS:

• Angie and Chris both represented AIA at the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Spring Forum in Washington, D.C.
• Chris – along with Cooper Martin from the Federal Team, and Vanessa Leon from the Local team – represented AIA at the American Planning Association (APA) Conference in Boston.
• SGN Listserv threads:

1. “National Architecture Week: Tell us what you are doing”

2. “member v. non-member.” Virginia’s Duncan Abernathy asked for thoughts on the best ways to get non-AIA members involved in advocacy

3. “RFP's: Quick response needed.” This was an attempt to support the Federal Team’s efforts in publicizing job-creating construction projects that are stalled due to the lack of available credit.

All SGN Listserv threads are archived on Sharepoint; click here, then on “SGN Listserv Threads”

RESOURCES:

• Urban Land Institute Awards Competition: The Urban Land Institute has announced a new awards competition, the Robert C. Larson Workforce Housing Public Policy Awards program, which recognizes innovative public policies and practices for the production, rehabilitation, or preservation of workforce housing. The winners will be emerging or established state and local programs that have considered local needs and conditions and actively fashioned an environment that fosters the production of workforce housing. Applications are due by June 15, 2011.

*             *             *

Connect with AIA’s State Affairs team (Angie Taylor [Director, State Relations] 202.626.7583, angietaylor@aia.org; Chris Merriam [Manager, State Issues and Programs] 202.626.7449, chrismerriam@aia.org) or on Twitter (@AIA_StRelations).