At any given time, NSCA is actively monitoring legislation on behalf of the commercial integration industry.
We do a lot at NSCA—but some of the most important work we do often goes unnoticed. Right now, for example, NSCA is actively monitoring industry-relevant legislation (to be more specific: monitoring hundreds of legislative bills on behalf of the industry).
Why so many? When you think about all the work integrators do, from security and fire alarm system installation to healthcare communication system design, they touch many mission-critical solutions across markets ranging from healthcare and education to finance and manufacturing.
To stay up to date, there are three areas that NSCA frequently focuses on.
1. Licenses
As part of our commitment to serving as the industry’s voice, NSCA monitors licenses. In some states, integrators carry individual licenses; in others, integrators have company licenses. Contractors can no longer assume that they can bid on a project in a state without reciprocity and expect to simply hire a licensed integrator as a subcontractor. Several states now require integrators to be listed as prime and use either full-time employees or preapproved outside labor resources.
2. Permitting
It’s shocking at times to see what certain municipalities charge for pulling a permit. No different from knowing about prevailing wages prior to bidding, that price must be determined upfront and passed through as a cost of doing business. As a result, integrators must remember to build the cost of licensure, registrations, and permits into their projects.
3. Cybersecurity and Insurance
Cybersecurity provisions and insurance are also critical to monitor. As the price of ransomware and data theft escalates, these have both become more regulated. Remember, you must be properly insured for the type of work you do, and you must complete applications carefully and honestly. One false statement on the checklist can result in you being all on your own for a claim against your company.
What Bills Does NSCA Track?
Here are just a few of the many bills we monitor at the state and federal levels.
Mandated apprenticeship programs led by a pro-labor legislature
Intermittently, NSCA watches this pendulum swing from pro-business to pro-labor. Currently, workforce-development programs and efforts to fix talent shortages come down to bills that require entry-level workers to register in an apprenticeship program.
Opportunities and challenges with artificial intelligence (AI)
Nothing is more elusive to lawmakers than trying to figure out whether AI needs to slow this technology down or speed it up. At NSCA’s final Pivot to Profit conference last year, this topic took center stage, giving the industry an opportunity to discuss and determine a path forward. (Read more about what we discussed at Pivot to Profit in this recent blog.)
Turf wars involving PoE (Power over Ethernet)
The growth in PoE, such as PoE LED lighting systems, has created a turf war between the electrical and commercial integration industries. State lawmakers and municipalities are being lobbied by various trade groups to enact regulations and/or licensing provisions that would require those who do low-voltage work to have a full-time licensed master electrician on staff to pull permits to install PoE projects.
NSCA Is a Proud Member of CTIC
To take legislative monitoring to the next level, NSCA is also part of a critical industry collaboration—the Connected Technology Industry Consortium (CTIC). It works with state legislators to garner integrator support and make sure integrators can continue to conduct business as usual.
Together, CTIC members track and respond to state-level legislation that may limit or prohibit integrators from completing certain types of projects.
The Connected Technology Industry Consortium is continuously working to make changes to create a better work environment for integrators.
How You Can Get Involved
The outcome of this year’s elections will likely give us insight into the overall regulatory climate. Until then, however, we wait—and we continue to monitor outcomes on behalf of you, our members.
We encourage you to help us monitor legislation in the states where you do business and read a few of the bills we’re tracking. You can see the full list here. If you see something that requires attention (positive or negative), we can send an action alert to let fellow NSCA members know that they need to stay alert.
Chuck Wilson is the former CEO at NSCA.
