CEDIA organized a Day on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. on March 6 to advocate for current and future generations of the smart home industry. Meetings with political leaders addressed two critical matters: The Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act (S. 722, H.R. 1477) and creating a classification of “integrator” in the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system.
CEDIA board members, executives, and industry leaders met with the legislative offices of U.S. politicians, including Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-CA-38), Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), Rep. Don Beyer Jr. (D-VA-8), Rep. Rob Wittman (R-VA-1), Rep. Nathaniel Moran (R-TX-1), Rep. Bill Keating (D-MA-9), Rep. John Sarbanes (D-MD-3), Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Rep. Joe Courtney (D-CT-2), Rep. Jim McGovern (D-MA-2), Sen. Todd Young (R-IN), Sen. Peter Welch (D-VT), Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-VA-7), Rep. André Carson (D-IN-07), and Sen. Michael Bennet (D-CO).
CEDIA pledged support for The Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act (S. 722, H.R. 1477) and urged Congress to recognize “integrator” as a profession in its next revision of the SOC system.
- The Freedom to Invest in Tomorrow’s Workforce Act would expand eligible uses of tax-favorable 529 savings plans to cover costs associated with workforce training and credentialing programs. The legislation would also enable 529 plan beneficiaries to use their funds to pay for examinations necessary to obtain and maintain recognized private professional certifications and other credentials.
- Integrators are currently misclassified as a subset of the electrical trade within the SOC system. An integrator’s skill set is separate and more diverse than that of an electrician and therefore requires its own accurate classification in the SOC system.
CEDIA representatives conducted a series of sit-down meetings with U.S. legislators and urged CEDIA members to magnify these efforts by sponsoring the legislation and sending a letter to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, which oversees the occupational codes.
“At CEDIA’s first annual Day on the Hill, we reinforced our commitment to the smart home industry, advocating for policies that will benefit both current and future generations,” says Daryl Friedman, CEDIA Global President and CEO. “The outcomes we seek will not only open doors for aspiring professionals but also elevate the status of our industry as a whole. Support from leaders in Washington is pivotal in ensuring that the smart home industry continues to thrive and innovate.”
See also: New Connectivity Pavilion Announced For CEDIA Expo, CIX 2024
