DEMAIL, Industry News Provided For You By DEMA
Industry News Provided By DEMAApril 13, 2011
In This Issue
Legislative Action Protects Coral Reefs
1099 Repeal Passes Senate
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DEMA MEMBER DOLLARS AT WORK: LEGISLATIVE ACTION PROTECTING FLORIDA'S CORAL REEFS FOR DIVERS AND EVERYONE

Diving Equipment & Marketing Association Prominent In Fighting Extension of Sewage Outfall Deadline
 
In 2008, Florida lawmakers set a timeline for South Florida to stop pumping 300 million gallons of sewage a day into the ocean by the year 2025, and to treat most of the region's wastewater to reuse for other purposes. In recent months several Miami lawmakers introduced a new bill that would delay the 2008 deadline to stop dumping sewage into the ocean until the year 2030.

With DEMA and the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI), among others, in opposition to the new bill, Florida's Senate Committee on Community Affairs approved a strike-all amendment that maintains the 2025 deadline.

"We are grateful to be involved in the effort to prevent the extension of the sewage outfall on Florida's reefs," said Tom Ingram, Executive Director of DEMA. "Our goal in doing so was and is to help keep the water and reefs healthy so divers will continue to have a clean environment in which to dive."

DEMA's position was that dumping wastewater into Florida's oceans has damaged beaches, marine life and coral reefs. "We just want to close the pipes as soon as possible and keep them closed, reducing ocean pollution," Ingram concluded. "The dive industry will continue to support the campaign against contaminating Florida's water - any water - with sewage."

1099 REPEAL PASSES SENATE

 

Repeal of Cumbersome Reporting Policy a Victory for Small Business Members

  
Dear DEMA Member:

I am in receipt of the following email from the American Society of Association Executives. As a member of ASAE I have access to information regarding associations and I participate on a regular basis with the California Society of Association Executives as well as ASAE on legislative and policy issues affecting our small business members.

Repeal of this particular policy will reduce the paperwork currently required by all small businesses (including recreational diving businesses) under the Obama Administration's health care law. For those stores using instructors as independent contractors, repeal of this law should have a significant positive financial and personnel impact.

Please let me know if you have any questions. You can contact me using the the email address or phone number listed below.  

Tom Ingram
Executive Director

Diving Equipment and Marketing Association
3750 Convoy Street, Suite 310
San Diego, CA 92111
PH: 858-616-6408
FX: 858-616-6495
tingram@dema.org

*********************************************************

From: Jim Clarke, ASAE Public Policy
Sent: Tuesday, April 05, 2011 10:56 AM
To: Tom Ingram
Subject: Thank You! 1099 Repeal Passes Senate

Dear Tom:

Today, the Senate passed HR 4, the bill to fully repeal the expanded 1099 reporting contained in last year's health care law. While the repeal is not finished until the President signs this bill into law, the effort could not have gotten this far without your hard work and dedication. The association community exerted its efforts to tell Congress with one voice that repealing the new 1099 requirement was a top priority and one of the most important issues all associations will face in the coming year. In the past twelve months alone, you have sent countless messages via email, met with your members of Congress to deliver this message in person, and signed on to three ASAE letters. Additionally, 1099 repeal was the top legislative issue for association advocates attending American Associations Day 2011, ASAE's legislative fly-in held last week in Washington DC.

Thank you for your hard work and effort on this issue. Working together our community can accomplish so much.