SIA is a leader in representing the electronic security industry in Washington, D.C. Click on the links below for more information about the association's activities in the nation's capital.
- Current legislative priorities, centered on initiatives that lead to increased spending on electronic physical security solutions by wastewater facilities, hospitals, port facilities, public transit systems, schools, and end-users within various markets.
- Letters to the Hill Support and opposition letters sent by SIA and lawmakers pertaining to federal legislation important to the physical electronic security industry.
- Congressional Awards Each year the Security Industry Association honors members of Congress that champion issues important to the electronic physical security industry.
- Legislative Fact Sheets One page fact sheets for issues featured in SIA's Legislative Agenda.
- Federal Economic Stimulus Information A series of important links providing a myriad of information on the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act.
- Federal Legislative Update/Pending Legislation Coming Soon!
SIA, CANASA Seek Security Exemption from Energy Efficiency Standards
Canadian officials should exempt electronic security and life safety devices from energy efficiency requirements that cannot sensibly be applied to them, SIA and the Canadian Security Association (CANASA) argued in a joint letter to Natural Resources Canada.
Natural Resources Canada is considering efficiency standards that would define energy consumption rules for electronic devices in “stand-by,” “no-load” and “off” modes. As SIA and CANASA noted in the letter, however, electronic security and life safety devices must always be on in order to be effective, so applying these standards to them “would not produce any energy savings because life safety and security equipment is never to be operated in these modes.”
PRBA Responds to Questions on Proposed Lithium Battery Rules
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is considering rules that would impose much tighter restrictions on the shipment, packaging and labeling of lithium batteries. Like PRBA, SIA is opposed to these proposed rules. The association noted in a March 12 letter to the administration that these batteries are used to power many wireless security and life safety devices and stated that the regulations being considered "do not take into account the potential tragic consequences that could result from the proposed extreme requirements that would delay the shipment and availability of these life-saving products and drive up their cost."
The questions from PHMSA to which PRBA responded included ones about the cost and delay issues, as well as some about technical matters.
SIA, PRBA and 20 other groups also signed on to a recent letter to the Office of Management and Budget requesting a meeting regarding that agency's review of the proposed lithium battery rules.
House Passes Carbon Monoxide Detector Legislation
Recently, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 1796, the “Residential Carbon Monoxide Prevention Poisoning Act of 2010.” The legislation was introduced by Rep. Jim Matheson (D-UT) and it would authorize $10 million for states to promote the installation of carbon monoxide detectors in homes and residences. Similar legislation (S.1216) was the subject of a Senate hearing last year. The legislation is supported by SIA. Click here to view a copy of SIA's joint support statement with ESA and NEMA.
SIA Expresses Concerns Over Proposed Restrictions on Lithium Batteries used in Life-Safety Products
On July 15, as part of a coalition opposing, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) proposed rules that would impose much tighter restrictions on the shipment, packaging, and labeling of lithium batteries. SIA and 20 other organizations noted in a letter to Department of Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood, that these batteries are used to power many wireless security and life safety devices, from smoke detectors to portable alarm system keypads to health-alert bracelets.
SIA PIV Working Group Submits Comments to Federal Government on FIPS-201 Document
On July 8th, the SIA PIV Working Group submitted a first round of comments to the Interagency Security Committee’s Physical Access Council and the National Institute of Standards and Technology on the FIPS-201-2 document. The working group will continue to be involved in the comment process for the FIPS-201 revision. If you are interested in participating or learning more about PIV Working Group activities contact SIA Manager of Government Relations, Tom O’Connor at 703-647-8483 or toconnor@siaonline.org.
House Bill Would Provide Important Fix for Security Industry
On May 28, at SIA’s request, Congressmen Frank Pallone (D-NJ) and Roy Blunt (R-MO) have introduced H.R. 5470, legislation that would provide life safety and security products with an exemption from certain Department of Energy (DOE) energy efficiency requirements. Reps. Pallone and Blunt are members of the House Subcommittee on Energy and Environment with jurisdiction over this issue. The Pallone-Blunt legislation mirrors Section 4 of S. 3059, which Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chairman Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) introduced on SIA’s behalf, earlier this year. S. 3059 has since been passed by Chairman Bingaman’s committee. Click here to view the legislation.