District Week is Connecting Industry Executives on Key Legislative Topics

District Week is Connecting Industry Executives on Key Legislative Topics
Jillian Bateman — August 13, 2020

ESA’s District Week 2020, August 10-14, is connecting leaders from the electronic security and life safety industry with local members of congress — as we speak!

Throughout the week, ESA has coordinated one-on-one meetings between ESA members and their local members of Congress, so they can make industry voices heard among representatives and senators from coast to coast. Meetings have been held with representatives from California, New York, Georgia and many other states.

“We have had some great meetings to discuss our industry’s issues,” says Chris Heaton, vice president of advocacy and public affairs at ESA. “It’s vital to the industry that we monitor and respond to proposed legislation. This week, we’re doing just that. ESA members have shown strong support and engagement with these initiatives, and I’ve enjoyed working alongside them to make it happen.”

Throughout these meetings, members have discussed providing the means to help workers displaced by COVID reintegrate into the workforce through bi-partisan bills that focus on training credit for new skills and trades; making sure biometric information, including facial recognition technology, is supported with proper guardrails against abuse; and support for additional Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding through the next phase of congressional appropriations for COVID-19 economic recovery.

It’s vital to the industry that we monitor and respond to proposed legislation. This week, we’re doing just that.

Earlier this week, daily Virtual Town Halls explored key legislative topics and updates with subject experts. These meetings included discussions on codes and standards, legislation to counteract the economic effects of COVID-19, and how state legislation might affect the industry in the second half of 2020 into 2021. ESA members and industry panelists posed questions and gained insight from the likes of Rep. Barry Loudermilk and Daniel Hodge, former first assistant attorney general and chief of staff to the governor of Texas. These Town Halls were sponsored by Resideo and Altronix.

ESA wants to make an impact for the industry and empower others to make their voice heard on important legislation. To share the valuable insights gained through District Week, recordings of the Virtual Town Halls are available to stream on demand at esaweb.org/districtweek2020.

To take action throughout the year, visit esaweb.org/beheard.

The 2020 ESA District Week was made possible by ESA’s strategic partners, including: Resideo, Axis Communications, Telguard, Altronix, SnapAV, NAPCO Security Technologies, APD, CoreSMP, DMP, Podium and simPRO.