Illinois
-
Looks
like May is turning out to be a pretty good month after
all.
H-2B Cap Exemption Approved
May 15, the Senate Appropriations Committee approved
S. 988 as an amendment to the supplemental
appropriations bill that was offered by Sen. Mikulski.
This amendment will provide a 3-year extension of the
H-2B cap exemption.
Proposed Amendment to the LA Practice Act
In an email sent to members May 1 we attached a copy
of the proposed LA Practice Act being proposed by ILASLA.
They have advised they are amending this proposed bill
as follows:
On page 6, replace the underlined language at lines 1
through 4 with:
(e) This Act does not apply to landscape or general
contractors, nurserymen or landscape nurserymen,
designers or landscape designers, gardeners or
landscape gardeners, engaged in the design of spaces
utilizing plant materials and incidental paving and
building materials or arranging for installation of
the same.
Senator Dick Durbin voted in favor of this bill.
Please take a minute to contact him and thank him for
his support on this and encourage his further support in
the future.
Wisconsin -
Winter 2008 Update:
The assembly
committee for ‘Labor and Industry’ is reviewing the the
content of ‘Practice’ bill WB677.
APLD
Midwest President Miraldi has sent them a letter of
opposition and asks all Wisconsin members to do the same.
Use the link to the right to read it here. A
couple of members called to express their thanks and
said they did send letters to the committee members
also.
Fall 2007:
Meetings
between Representative Thomas Lothian’s (R - WI-32nd)
staff, and representatives of the Wisconsin Chapter of
the ASLA, the Wisconsin
Green Industry Federation (WGIF) and the Midwest
Chapter of the APLD occurred in Madison at the State
Capitol. The purpose was to review and discuss the
proposed ‘Practice Law’ wording. The proposed bill
wording had changed little from it’s earlier version
with the addition of an exemption section. After intense
and detailed discussion the meeting ended with little on
no progress. The bills sponsor, WI- ASLA, indicated they
were going to review the possibility of a wording change
and the Executive Director of the WGIF suggesting they
were going to explore the need to engage legal help in
understanding this proposal and any wording changes to
it. The Midwest Chapter of the APLD and the WGIF have
been placed on record as opposing any bill that would
cause, or would have the possibility to cause, loss of
work for any of their members.
Read APLD
Designer notes from
Lobbyist Vince Phillips.
There are 22 active APLD members in Wisconsin that will
be affected by practice legislation.
Michigan -
In Michigan, there are 10 active APLD members that will
be affected by practice legislation. Bills
regarding LA Licensure are HB5025; HB5026; SB 382; SB
383 pending.
Indiana, Iowa -
Indiana is currently a “Practice” state as far as ASLA
is concerned. HB 1417 heritage is the current APLD
reference.
Iowa is also listed as a “Practice” state with SSB1265
landscape design for schools.
HELPFUL WEB SITES:
http://www.ilga.gov/
to find your Senators and State Representatives.
http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/
to
view the full bill information.
http://www.apld.org
download a printable version of a letter to your legislator, contact board
members with ideas, suggestions or offers to help.
Additional letter format samples are available here.
To write your representative, visit:
http://www.ilga.gov/house/
