Laws regulating the use of biometric information are already on the books in Illinois, Texas, and Washington. IHRSA supports legislation that protects individuals, companies, and employees’ privacy while ensuring the continued development and use of technological innovation that enhances the consumer experience and management of clubs.
Securing the privacy of individuals is an important and worthy goal. The challenge for legislators is how to draw lines in a technological landscape that is continually shifting. Finding the balance between privacy protections and ensuring that people derive the benefits of continued technological innovation and evolution is delicate. IHRSA will continue to work to help find that balance.
On the Federal Front
In the 116th Congress, we are starting fresh in our effort to pass the PHIT Act, but we are not starting over. Already the PHIT Act was introduced in both the Senate and House of Representatives. Sens. John Thune (R-SD) and Chris Murphy (D-CT) introduced PHIT (S.680) on March 6, and Reps. Ron Kind (D-WI) and Mike Kelly (R-PA) introduced PHIT (H.R.1679) into the House on March 12.
During the 115th Congress—with your help—we achieved incredible momentum last session and waged a wide-ranging campaign that educated the industry, the public, and the stakeholder community about the benefits of PHIT. We were able to secure 153 sponsors for the PHIT bill in both the House and the Senate. Support was almost equally divided between Democrats and Republicans, indicating strong bipartisan support for the legislation, further improving its chances for passage. Through all of these efforts, IHRSA succeeded in leading the concerted effort which lead to the major success of PHIT passing the House. In 2019, we will be looking for any relevant vehicle on which to attach PHIT.
If you have questions regarding any of the legislation mentioned in this article or want to talk to us about regulations you’re concerned about, feel free to email our team. In the meantime, check back every month for updates on the latest legislative or legal trends and news impacting your business.
