NPCA Member Newsletter March 3, 2017

May 17-19	PMAA Washington Conference & Day on the Hill, Click here for more info
June 6	GLW Scholarship Golf Outing, York, NE
August 2-3	2017 NPCA Convention
October 16-17	PMAA Fall Meeting at NACS
February 22-23	2018 PACE Show (Thursday- Friday) PACEshow.com

YOUR WEEKLY MEMBER NEWS LETTER: is a service provided only to members of the Nebraska Petroleum Markers & Convenience Store Association (NPCA). If you have any key personnel that would like to be added at no additional charge, please feel free to reply to tkeigher@npcainc.com, katie@npcainc.com or call (402)-474-6691.

HAPPENINGS IN THE NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE THIS WEEK

Senators and committees continued to name priority bills this week in anticipation of next week's March 9th deadline for naming senator and committee priority bills. (A listing of priority bills can be found at the end of this Weekly Legislative Report.)

In addition, lawmakers have till adjournment Tuesday, March 7th to request a bill be designated as a speaker priority bill, of which the Speaker will announce his 25 Speaker Priority selections on the morning of Monday, March 13th.

The Nebraska Economic Forecasting Board meet on Monday of this week and as feared, the outlook was bleak. This will have lawmakers looking for an additional $152.8 million to balance the upcoming 2017-2018, 2018-2019 biennium budget.

The preliminary budget put the state $134.7 million short of meeting the minimum cash reserve. Adding to this the $152.8 million in the revised forecast now puts the total at $287.5 million. The board also projected state revenues for the coming biennium to be $9.25 billion, of which mainly comes from the state's income and sales/use taxes.

The Appropriations Committee will have its work cut out for it as they must deliver a balanced budget to the Legislature no later than the 70th legislative day, April 24th, and all appropriation bills must be passed by the 80th day or May 10th.

The Forecasting Board will meet again April 26th to revise its projections, at which time income tax returns will have been due.

Friday, March 3rd, marked the 40th day of this 90-day session and as we are nearing the halfway point of the session, there will be three more weeks of committee hearings. All day floor debate will begin on Tuesday, March 28th.

2017 Upcoming Hearings
Hearing Date	Bill Number	Introducer	Committee	On Liner
3/6/2017	LB147	Hansen	Business & Labor	Change workers' compensation provisions relating to waiting time, termination of compensation, and attorney's fees. As stated in the bill's Statement of Intent: "LB 147 will require that, once an employee's disability payments have commenced, such payments cannot be terminated or suspended without giving the employee 30 days' notice. This will allow the employee to seek judicial review if such review is warranted. The bill also provides that waiting time payments and attorneys' fees would not be allowed if employer performed a reasonable investigation as to whether benefits were owed; the employer actually relied on that investigation to terminate, deny or delay payment of benefits; and the employer conveyed the results of the investigation to employee at the time of termination, denial or delay."
3/7/2017	LB559	Schumacher	Banking	Prohibit the collection of interchange fees on specified taxes and fees relating to electronic payment transactions
3/8/2017	LB510	Ebke	Government	Provide a restriction on installment contracts for the purchase of real or personal property by political subdivisions. As stated in the bill's Statement of Intent: "LB 510 places limits on the amount of future payment obligations political subdivisions can have with respect to installment contracts. Under certain statutory provisions currently in place, political subdivisions have authority to enter into contracts for the purchase of both real and personal property to be paid over a period of years. LB 510 would place a cap of twenty-five million dollars on the amount of outstanding future payment obligations on such contracts to limit the amount of "debt" political subdivisions have in the form of future installment payment obligations or bonds secured by such payments."
3/8/2017	LB501	Brewer	Judiciary	Change prohibition on locations where permitholder may carry a concealed weapon. As stated in the bill's Statement of Intent: " As the law reads today, if a person carrying a concealed handgun enters private property where the owner has prohibited the carrying of concealed hand guns, the person is guilty of a crime without being told they are not allowed to carry a concealed handgun on the premises. Under the current law the offending party may also not even know the carrying of concealed handguns is not permitted as the law does not require the conspicuous posting of signage to that effect. This bill changes those two aspects of the law to require conspicuous posting of signage giving notice the carrying of concealed handguns is not permitted on the property, and requiring the owner to give notice to the offending person they are not allowed to carry concealed handguns on the property. These two conditions must be met before the offending person is guilty of the misdemeanor crime defined in the statute."
3/9/2017	LB576	Brewer	Revenue	Limit increases in property tax bills. Caps for tax year 2017 & 2018 property tax, in that the property tax bill cannot exceed the amount paid in 2016.
3/9/2017	LB599	Groene	Revenue	Exempt certain improvements on land from taxes as prescribed. Improvements on land of infrastructure, redevelopment, or new construction intended for business or housing purposes shall be considered business inventory until occupied, sold, or leased.
3/9/2017	LB570	Friesen	Revenue	Provide a property tax exemption for all tangible personal property. Exempts all tangible personal property from property tax beginning January 1, 2019.

2017 Priority Bills as of March 3, 2017
Bill Number	Introducer	Committee	On Liner	2017 Priority
LB30	Kolterman	Retirement	Provide for a cash balance benefit plan by cities of the metropolitan and primary classes for certain police officers or firefighters as prescribed	Nebraska Retirement System
LB44	Watermeier	Revenue	Adopt the Remote Seller Sales Tax Collection Act. Internet sales tax collection.	Watermeier
LB68	Hilgers	Government	Prohibit certain regulation of firearms, ammunition, and firearm accessories by counties, cities, and villages as prescribed	Hilgers
LB72	Schumacher	Banking	Provide for governmental unit bond priority under the Nebraska Governmental Unit Security Interest Act and rename the act	Banking
LB88	Blood	Health	Provide for temporary credentials under the Uniform Credentialing Act for military spouses	Blood
LB92	Kolterman	Banking	Require health carriers to provide coverage for telehealth services	Kolterman
LB181	Quick	Business & Labor	Provide for reimbursement to employees for certain medical examinations under the Nebraska Workers' Compensation Act. Seeks payment for a second medical opinion.	Quick
LB195	Craighead	Health	Require notification following mammography as prescribed	Craighead
LB203	Kuehn	Business & Labor	Change provisions relating to maximum annual unemployment benefits and disqualification for benefits. 13-week time disqualification for such claimants, they would be ineligible until they earned at least four times their weekly benefit amount.	Business & Labor
LB210	Watermeier	Executive Board	Change standard and quality control provisions relating to legislative performance audit	Legislative Performance Audit
LB271	Hilgers	Transportation	Authorize the Department of Roads to assume certain responsibilities under federal environmental laws and provide for limited waiver of the state's sovereign immunity	Geist
LB368	Lowe	Transportation	Change helmet provisions, change passenger age limits, and require eye protection for operators of motorcycles and mopeds	Lowe
LB407	Pansing Brooks	Executive Board	Create and provide duties for the Whiteclay Public Health Emergency Task Force	State-Tribal Relations
LB409	Groene	Education	Change the base limitation and local effort rate for school districts	Education
LB415	Kolterman	Retirement	Provide and change notification requirements and duties and benefits for certain retirement system members, change certain annuity and disability benefit provisions, and provide duties for school districts and the Public Employees Retirement Board relating to retirement.	Nebraska Retirement System
LB447	Chambers	Judiciary	Eliminate certain mandatory minimum penalties	Chambers
LB470	Larson	General Affairs	Change provisions of the Nebraska County and City Lottery Act relating to the manner of play of keno, use of electronic tickets, and authorized methods of payment	General Affairs
LB496	Stinner	Urban Affairs	Define and redefine terms under the Community Development Law	Williams
LB518	Williams	Business & Labor	Adopt the Rural Workforce Housing Investment Act and transfer funds from the Affordable Housing Trust Fund	Business & Labor
LB543	Watermeier	Revenue	Change provisions relating to applications and reporting requirements under the Nebraska Advantage Act	Legislative Performance Audit
LB622	Wishart	Judiciary	Adopt the Medical Cannabis Act	Wishart
LB661	Kuehn	Government	Provide for confidentiality of information relating to performing a lethal injection	Kuehn

Bills of Interest

GEORGE L. WATTERS SCHOLARSHIP

SHARE WITH EMPLOYEES

George L. Watters Scholarship

Amount: $1,000 minimum

Deadline is March 15th

Click Here to Apply

Eligibility : Graduating seniors from any high school in Nebraska

Criteria: Offspring of a Nebraska Petroleum Marketer or their employee, will attend college in Nebraska, upper 1/3 of high school class. The George L. Watters Memorial Scholarship was established in 1988. George Watters was an outstanding and well-respected representative of the petroleum marketing industry. Following his death several years ago, the Nebraska Petroleum Marketers Association established this scholarship to properly recall George's leadership and integrity in the field. The Nebraska Petroleum Marketers, a member of the Petroleum Marketers Association of America, seeks to unify petroleum marketers throughout the state to effectively further the common interests of the petroleum marketing industry.

OIL EXPRESS ALERT: Thieves Might Be Adopting a New Twist on 'Slider' Crimes

2017-03-01 04:54:31 EST
Thieves Might Be Adopting a New Twist on 'Slider' Crimes

Thieves might have started a new technique for carrying out "slider" crimes. In
what could be a new twist, someone who pulls into a gas station to get fuel is
tricked into spotting what appears to be a lost purse on the ground. The thieves
hope their target will pick up the purse and take it to the gas station clerk.
While the customer is being a Good Samaritan and turning the purse in to the
clerk, the thieves steal items from the customer's vehicle.

Normally in slider crimes, thieves steal items from the customer's vehicle -- or
maybe take the customer's vehicle -- while the customer is outside his car,
fueling up.

The new, more elaborate technique happened recently at a gas station in
Fairburn, Ga., which is in the Atlanta metropolitan area, according to Sgt.
Mario Jones of the Fairburn Police Department.

Around 9 p.m. on Feb. 26, a Lexus RX 330 crossover vehicle sat in the lot of a
gas station/truckstop in Fairburn, Jones said. There were two people in the
Lexus, he said.

A male customer, about 55 years old, pulled into the gas station to get fuel.
Someone in the Lexus threw a purse out the window and the Lexus drove away to
the other side of the lot.

As the customer finished pumping gasoline into his car, he saw the purse lying
on the ground and took the purse to the attendant working in the gas station
store.

"That's when the perpetrators made their move," Jones said. "They actually
waited until they saw him walking inside the store with the purse before they
drove to his vehicle to enter it."

One of the thieves went inside the customer's unlocked car and took a smart
phone and a wallet containing credit cards, Jones said.

Jones said this was the first time his department had heard about a dropped
purse being used as part of carrying out a slider crime.

"This is the first we've heard or seen it," he said. "It's a new tactic. We've
just got to adjust to it and combat it the best way we can. But this is the
first time we've seen a tactic like that."

Jones predicted that the technique will become more common.

"It gives the perpetrators more safety ... when they know they have an allotted
amount of time that they have to commit their crime, and know that the owner of
that vehicle is away," he said. "And they know exactly where he's going, and
when he's returning. They can watch when he's returning."

He said the investigation is ongoing and that the gas station's surveillance
video captured an image of the Lexus and its license tag numbers.

Asked what gas stations can do to address these types of crimes, Jones
suggested:
--High-quality security cameras;

--A well-lit station;

--A sign warning customers to take their valuables with them if they leave their
vehicles; and

--A security guard.

Fairburn is in Fulton County, Ga., which recently passed a tough new gas
station-security law for the unincorporated portion of the county in light of an
increase in slider crime -- but it wouldn't apply to Fairburn, which is
incorporated.

Under that new law, certain security measures would have to be implemented at
stations where certain serious crimes have occurred and the station itself has
had problems such as not adequately monitoring patrons. Among the measures, the
stores would have to hire a security guard to be present at all times, the
stores would have to have a security camera system, a lighted parking lot,
unobstructed views from outside of the customer transaction area, a silent-
alarm, and the county police would train store employees on security matters.

--Vincent Taylor, vtaylor@opisnet.com

Copyright, Oil Price Information Service

KEY LAWMAKER HOPES FOR RFS REFORM BY AUGUST

The EPA's ethanol mandate could be on the short list for major reform this year, according to leaders on the House Energy and Commerce Committee. This coincides with House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy's (R-CA) statement from earlier this year which indicated that RFS reform will likely be in the cards. This is welcome news for petroleum marketers as there is a growing chorus in Congress to finally fix the corn ethanol mandate which has led to higher prices at the pump and interferes with petroleum marketers' ability to compete in the retail motor fuels market.

On Wednesday, Chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Environment, John Shimkus (R-IL), said that some overhaul of the federal ethanol mandate could be passed into law by August. However, he acknowledged that reaching a compromise on reform will be an uphill battle. Rep. Shimkus, whose district is one of the nation's top producers of corn, stated that "you have to have a big vote, because we have to send a signal to the Senate that there's a lot of people behind this and everybody's taken their pound of flesh. Otherwise, I think my friends from states similar to me will circle the wagons and stop any reform."

PMAA continues to pursue a cap on the maximum amount of ethanol blended into gasoline at 9.7 percent. PMAA believes that capping the ethanol mandate at this level will solve many UST compatibility issues and is the most effective way to lower the value of RINS, and in turn, allow small business retailers to compete on a level playing field.

TRUMP ISSUES EXECUTIVE ORDER TO REVIEW OR RESCIND U.S. WATERS RULE

President Trump signed an executive order earlier this week that orders the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA to review or rescind the 2015 "Waters of the U.S." (WOTUS) rule. The President will also call for a halt of a lawsuit that challenges the rule from dozens of states, businesses and agricultural groups while the measure is being reviewed.

At the most fundamental level, the rule that was finalized during the Obama Administration, represents an unjustified expansion of Clean Water Act jurisdiction far beyond the limits of federal regulation explicitly established by Congress and affirmed by the courts. The rule gives federal agencies direct authority over land use decisions that Congress has intentionally preserved to the States. The EPA issued a final rule in May 2015 that attempts to expand federal jurisdiction over navigable waters under the Clean Water Act.

The rule is important to petroleum marketers because it defines how far federal clean water regulations extend into local land use and permitting decisions including the construction of new gasoline stations and surface water runoff from parking and fueling areas. Many petroleum marketers with bulk storage could also be adversely affected by the revised definition. In 2015, PMAA joined with a coalition representing a broad range of businesses, industries, and commercial interests to voice strong opposition to the revised definition of the WOTUS and PMAA has supported congressional efforts to scrap it through legislation and to block its implementation through the end-of-year spending bills. However, the Executive Order will only start the process of unwinding the EPA rule and it is not yet clear whether the Trump Administration's goal is to kill the rule or to write a far narrower version. Reversing WOTUS would require a rulemaking, which would be particularly complicated because of the ongoing litigation around the rule.

PMAA applauds the President's directive to review or rescind the WOTUS rule.

ANTI-REGULATORY BILLS PASS HOUSE

Three bills that are strongly supported by PMAA were passed by the House this week. On Wednesday, the House passed H.R. 998, the "Searching for and Cutting Regulations that are Unnecessarily Burdensome Act of 2017" by a vote of 240-185. The SCRUB Act would create a five-year commission to repeal federal regulations to offset the cost of new rules. This bill was passed in the last Congress but was then vetoed by President Obama. President Trump is expected to support the legislation.

Also on Wednesday, the House passed H.R.1009, the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA) Insight, Reform, and Accountability Ac,t by a 241-184 vote. Under H.R. 1009, the authority of the OIRA to review regulations would be codified and rules with significant economic effects could not be finalized without OIRA's determination that the agency considered the costs and benefits, alternatives, and minimized the burden on businesses.

H.J. Res. 83 which disapproved the Department of Labor relating to "Clarification of Employer's Continuing Obligation to Make and Maintain an Accurate Record of Each Recordable Injury and Illness" was also passed by a vote of 231-191.

On December 19, 2016, the Obama Administration published a rule in which the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) extended the statute of limitations for paperwork errors to five years. H.J. Res. 83 would ensure that the rule has no force or effect.

While these bills breezed through the House, they face an uphill battle in the Senate due to the 60-vote threshold.

FORMER TEXAS GOVERNOR RICK PERRY CONFIRMED AS NEW ENERGY SECRETARY

On Thursday, the Senate confirmed on a 62-37 vote former Texas governor Rick Perry as Secretary of the Department of Energy. Although Perry softened his view during his confirmation hearing, he proposed eliminating the department when he was a 2012 presidential candidate.

Perry has extensive experience in energy development but little background in nuclear weapons, a primary responsibility for DOE. "We collectively understand that the opportunity we have been given, this is maybe a once in a lifetime opportunity to truly put America on a course that will deliver for future generations extraordinary opportunities," Perry said after being sworn in. While two thirds of the DOE's budget is dedicated towards managing America's nuclear stockpile, the remaining third of DOE's nearly $30 billion annual budget supports energy research and development and the creation of efficiency standards for things like boilers and furnaces

TRUMP PROVIDES BUDGET OUTLINE AND SPEAKS TO CONGRESS

President Trump released some of his budget blueprint this week prior to and during his speech before a Joint Session of Congress. His budget, which will be submitted this Spring, would increase military and law enforcement by $100 billion, including border wall funding, tax cuts, a trillion-dollar infrastructure plan (with public and private investment) and tax credits to buy health care coverage to replace Obamacare. President Trump plans to pay for these proposals through deep cuts in domestic discretionary spending.

Equally significant is what the President did not say. Unlike his predecessors' presentations to Congress, Trump did not bring up climate change or natural gas. He did highlight his support for the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines and his plan to ensure new pipelines are built with U.S. steel. Further, he wants to work with Democrats and Republicans "to promote clean air and clean water."

EPA STUDY BLAMES ASIA AND HEAT WAVES FOR HIGH OZONE LEVELS

A new study funded by NASA and conducted by researchers at NOAA, EPA, Princeton and Columbia University reports that more frequent heat waves and pollution drifting from Asia have caused high ozone levels in the U.S.. Furthermore, policymakers should consider a global perspective when setting national air quality standards.

According to the report in the journal of Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics, Asian NOx emissions have tripled since 1990 and the Asian emissions drift across the Pacific to the U.S., and, increasingly strong heat waves in the eastern U.S. are also raising ozone levels.

PMAA AND NEFI COMMENTS TO CFTC

This week, PMAA and the New England Fuel Institute (NEFI) submitted comments to a December 30, 2016 Reproposal of Position Limits for Derivatives. The comments on the long-delayed position limits proposal for energy futures and swaps are meant to supplement our previous comments on the subject before the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).

PMAA and NEFI strongly disagree with comments that speculative position limits for previously exempt commodities and contracts are either unnecessary, or that the CFTC has not sufficiently established their necessity. The necessity of speculative position limits was well established by Congress after countless committee hearings, bipartisan staff reports and independent investigations that found the absence of position limits had exacerbated market volatility and opened the door to market manipulation. Furthermore, the CFTC has been evaluating the necessity for position limits for more than eight years in an ongoing effort to establish position limits for energy and other previously exempt commodities.

We support recommendations from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange (CME) and others that the CFTC abandon favorable treatment for cash-settled contracts, including the arbitrary "five-day rule" and conditional spot-month limits. Physically-settled and cash-settled contracts should be treated on a one-for-one basis. Establishing higher limits for cash-settled contracts would create an opportunity for market manipulation and result in unwarranted price volatility and diminished market confidence.

GOVERNORS SUPPORT TRUMP INFRASTRUCTURE PLAN

Governors from 46 states, including National Governor's Association (NGA) Chairman Gov. Terry McAuliffe (D-VA), met with President Trump earlier this week. Many Governors expressed support for the use of public-private partnerships to help fund infrastructure projects across the country. President Trump has said that he plans on implementing a $1 trillion infrastructure plan that would build/repair roads, bridges, airports and other infrastructure projects. Furthermore, he plans for these projects to be partially financed through tax credits to investors and construction companies.

Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-WI) and other Republicans have expressed support for using tax credits to spur private infrastructure work. However, Speaker Ryan has indicated that infrastructure decisions will need to wait until the spring, due to the complex agenda currently in front of Congress, which includes a plan to repeal and replace Obamacare and comprehensive tax reform.

If a broader infrastructure bill moves forward, PMAA will be on the lookout for natural gas pipeline streamlining language which both PMAA and NEFI oppose. Last year, the House passed-energy bill included language that was not fuel neutral since it would expedite interstate natural gas pipeline approvals and did nothing to expedite oil pipelines. Specifically, the House bill would expand the federal land eligible for natural gas pipeline siting, including designation as National Energy Security Corridors, to include land in the National Park System.

Rather than deregulate the natural gas pipeline permitting process, Congress should require that regulators and gas companies increase system efficiency by requiring that the thousands of miles of existing natural gas pipelines that are aging or obsolete be repaired or replaced.

RUMORED POINT OF OBLIGATION DEAL PROVES TO BE FALSE

Earlier this week, conflicting reports surfaced about whether the Trump Administration would issue an executive order which would move the point of obligation under the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) from refiners/importers to position holders at the terminal rack. News of the potential changes have sent RIN prices tumbling. Moving the point of obligation to position holders at the terminal level will not confer obligated party status on marketers who blend below the rack. Also, marketers who hold title to fuel in a terminal, but who are not position holders themselves, will not be captured as obligated parties under the proposed changes.

While an executive order could be issued later this week, changes in the RFS will not be effective immediately. In order to move the point of obligation, the U.S. EPA would be required to conduct a formal rulemaking, including public notice and comment period, which is likely to take a year or more to complete. Also, opponents of the move are likely to sue in federal court to keep the point of obligation at the refiner level, further delaying the impact of the executive order.

Meanwhile, in exchange for moving the point of obligation to the position holder at the terminal rack, there has been speculation that EPA would grant a one pound RVP waiver for E15. PMAA opposes any initiative to apply the one pound waiver for E15 because the existing motor fuels distribution system cannot legally distribute E15. Federal, state, and local laws and regulations, national and international fire codes, as well as all commercial insurance policies, require the use of Underwriters Laboratories (UL) certified storage and dispensing equipment or specific documentation proving the equipment is compatible with E15. More importantly, only Congress has the authority to expand the waiver for E15, therefore, it cannot be done through regulation.

TRUMP SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER REQUIRING ALL AGENCIES TO CREATE TASK FORCES

Earlier this week, President Trump signed an executive order stating that all agencies must form their own regulatory reform task force to identify regulations to "repeal, replace or modify."
The task forces are required to seek stakeholder input, likely through a federal register notice. Removing rules will likely involve a long process unless Congress changes the Administrative Procedures Act which could result in many court battles. Although the process to remove rules could be difficult and lengthy, PMAA will be in touch with task force contacts at the agencies it deals with to discuss certain rules

PMAA CORPORATE GOLD PARTNER SPOTLIGHT INTRODUCING: DONALDSON CLEAN FUEL SOLUTIONS

The Officers, Executive Committee, and PMAA staff are pleased to welcome PMAA's new Gold Corporate Partner: Donaldson Clean Fuel Solutions. As a Petroleum Marketer, you can offer value-added products/services to the diesel community into which you sell. Grow your business by offering solutions and filling the increasing demand for clean/dry fuel. Differentiate yourself and your company from the competition.

Donaldson Clean Fuel Solutions is a business dedicated to the bulk filtration of diesel fuel. Our vision is to be the first and preferred solutions provider when anyone in the world requires clean fuel or has a fuel related issue. We also strive to educate the market on all-things-diesel at www.mycleandiesel.com.

Donaldson would like to be a strategic part of your future business growth. To learn more, email MyCleanDiesel@Donaldson.com or call Paul Klick at 952-703-4801.

FEBRUARY 2017 PMAA SMALL BUSINESS COMMITTEE (SBC) PAC CONTRIBUTIONS

PAC Co-Chairs Brad Bell and Tim Keigher are grateful for the PMAA Small Business Committee (SBC) PAC contributions from the following individuals during February 1 - 28, 2017 time frame:

Connecticut: David Foster

Idaho: Brett Adams, Dennis Baird, Michelle Berry, Ron Berry, Derek Brewer, Eric Busch, Dennis Campo, Holly Claiborn, Bob Coleman, Ian Coleman, Rob Franklin, Jim Grant, Mike Jensen, Charley Jones, Jim Lynch, Ken Poole

Illinois: Kevin Thoma

Kentucky: Chuck Baker, John Clark, Stephen Harper

Michigan: Larry Galgoci, David Knapp, William McCarthy

Missouri: Ryan McNutt

Nebraska: Jack Hill

New Mexico: B&H Oil

Utah: Todd Christensen, John Richardson

PMAA CORPORATE PLATINUM PARTNER FEDERATED INSURANCE SPONSORED WEBINAR ON MARCH 22 AT 2:00pm EST

Employment Insights -Title III - ADA Cases / Web Accessibility

Title III of The Americans with Disabilities Act has become a vehicle for litigation alleging that commercial websites are not sufficiently accessible for persons with disabilities such as impaired vision or hearing. This update will explain the mechanics of such claims, and offer tips on how your company can reduce the risk of these claims.

In addition, this webinar will include a special "countercurrents" section highlighting recent presidential executive orders impacting federal agency regulatory reform, wage and hour, and immigration, as well as local and state initiatives impacting employers today.

Advance Registration is required. A recorded version of the webinar will be available here for 60 days approximately one week after the live session if you are interested, but unable to attend.

For additional information or to discuss this in further detail, please contact your Federated regional representative or PMAA's National Account Executive Jerry Leemkuil at 800.533.0472. Federated is a PMAA Corporate Platinum Partner.

PMAA MDF CONTRIBUTORS FOR FEBRUARY 2017

PMAA's Marketer Defense Fund wants to thank the following individuals for their contributions during the February 1- 28 timeframe:

California: Kenneth Dewar, Ronald Nuckles
Colorado: Andrew Smith Jr.
Iowa: Mark Meyer
Maryland: Jack Tevis
Minnesota: Jay Cattoor
Mississippi: Dan Ellzey
NECSEMA: James Garrett
North Carolina: T. Scott Aman, William Daughtridge Jr., Kevin Vincent
Oklahoma: Greg Love
Oregon: Oregon Fuels Association
Pennsylvania: Samantha Lantz
Virginia: James Emmart
Wisconsin: Jon Crawford

Corporate donations are acceptable. MDF funds have been used for various studies, litigation and disaster relief dedicated to strengthening our lobbying efforts on Capitol Hill. Click here to donate to the PMAA MDF.

RESERVE YOUR ROOMS NOW AND REGISTER FOR PMAA'S WASHINGTON CONFERENCE AND DAY ON THE HILL

PMAA's 2017 annual Washington Conference and Day on the Hill will be held in Washington, DC from May 17-19. With the new Congress and Administration in place, our industry continues to have dozens of important legislative and regulatory issues to discuss and the Day on the Hill continues to be the primary focus of this conference.

The meeting will begin with an Opening Session / Issues Briefing and Region meetings in the afternoon of May 17. Our welcome reception, including our fun and popular PAC silent auction fundraiser, concludes the day! On the morning of May 18, marketers will head to Capitol Hill for visits with their Congressional delegations after a buffet breakfast and issues briefing for those who were not able to attend the opening session. Please be sure to make these appointments as soon as possible. There will be a hospitality suite and luncheon on the Hill. On the evening of May 18, we will honor our 2017 PMAA Chair Mark Whitehead. Our conference will conclude after the PMAA Board of Directors meet on May 19 following a buffet breakfast and committee meetings.

Please click here for our event website for all details including registration with secure event payment processing through Cvent. If you plan on attending PMAA's annual Washington Conference and Day on the Hill, please take the time now to make your room reservation through A Room with A View (our overflow hotel company serving as our waitlist) at 800.780.4343. Washington Marriott at Metro Center is now sold out. Please note that our overflow hotel information is also posted on our event website. We are expecting an excellent turnout and would appreciate you and your members to plan ahead: Make room reservations and complete online registration at your earliest convenience.

It is your chance to make a positive difference for our industry! Please make your plans now to attend this important and productive conference to meet with your members of Congress! See you in DC in the spring!

Please make your plans to attend this important and productive forum to meet with your members of Congress and network with other marketers from across the country! We look forward to welcoming you to DC in May!

PMAA MEMBER SERVICES SPOTLIGHT FEATURING: LABORCHEX

Background Checks When Promoting Current Employees

We are often asked about conducting background checks on current employees, especially those who are under consideration for promotion. Here are some items to consider:

1. Under federal law in the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), the background authorization document signed by the employee when first hired is valid for the person's entire tenure of employment.
2. One situation we often see is when the employee is being promoted to a position requiring significant financial responsibility. In such cases, for whatever their reasons, employers may choose to order an employment credit report (if this is permitted by local law).
3. In another scenario, an employer may get an anonymous tip from a worker or a member of the public that indicates an employee is in trouble with the law. It could be a coworker who claims to know the person was arrested recently for assault or selling drugs.

For additional details on each of these items, please read the article in its entirety here. We think it is very wise for our clients to speak with legal counsel first when considering any type of background check on a current employee.

Laborchex, a PMAA Vendor who has been serving clients nationwide since 1991, provides a program of background checks for PMAA members. For more information and to discuss your needs, please review PMAA's current program or email Steven J. Austin or call at 800.880.0366 x4574.