Fighting for You: April 2022 Legislative and Regulatory Update Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 4/22/2022 10:42:00 AM Since our last Fighting for You, the Insights Association has been charging full-steam into debates over consumer privacy and data security at the state, federal and trans-national levels; opposing a new project at the Census Bureau that would compete directly against the insights industry; scrutinizing Congressional legislation and possible Securities and Exchange Commission regulation that could treat research subjects like employees, instead of independent contractors; and advocating against ... Read More
Texas Supreme Court Upholds Legitimacy of Survey Research for Trials: IA Helps Court Evaluate Supposed "Push Poll" Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 4/3/2020 3:54:00 PM The Texas Supreme Court rejected a lower court’s order against a law firm for a supposed “push poll” in what the Insights Association called “a crucial victory for the right of litigants to use bona fide marketing research in court trials.” Read More
Push Poll Bill in Maine Gets Fixed Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 5/11/2015 3:11:00 PM Legislators in Maine recently fixed a misguided bill targeting "push polls" that could have irreparably biased the results of political polling in the state, heeding testimony from the Marketing Research Association (MRA). Read More
"Push polls" - Deceptive Advocacy/Persuasion Under the Guise of Legitimate Polling Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 10/28/2014 2:08:00 PM The insights industry stands opposed to so-called "push polling," which is not polling at all – it is a form of political campaign messaging or negative phone banking fraudulently disguised as polling. While polling can be properly used to test messages, "push polling" is not a test, but rather an effort to communicate those messages by giving that communication the false appearance of polling. Read More
New Hampshire Push Poll Law Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 10/28/2014 2:04:00 PM New Hampshire law restricts political advocacy telephone calls, which it calls "push-polling." Thanks to a reform (S.B. 196) signed into law on April 23, 2014, the Granite State specifically excludes survey and opinion research. Read More
FEC supports survey research in New Hampshire Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 4/26/2012 3:15:00 PM The Federal Election Commission (FEC) approves an MRA-supported advisory opinion declaring that federal election law preempts aspects of New Hampshire's "push poll" law. Read More
Successful collaboration with AAPC yields victories in Alabama and Alaska for automated telephone research and political polling Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 8/11/2011 12:52:00 PM MRA's cooperative lobbying efforts with the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) bore fruit this year in Alabama and Alaska. Read More
Alabama political polling sponsorship disclosure requirements advancing (S.B. 96) Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 3/28/2011 12:31:00 PM The Alabama Senate passed S.B. 96, which would amend Section 17-5-16 of the Alabama Code to require “any communication via phone bank or other automated telephone dialing service to be conducted” with a “notice at the beginning and ending of the phone call that the communication was a paid political advertisement, clearly identifying the identification of the person, nonprofit corporation, entity, principal campaign committee, or political action committee that paid f... Read More
CMOR-Authored Bill Passes Louisiana State House and Senate Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 7/17/2008 9:32:00 AM Louisiana H.B. 1044 – a bill drafted by CMOR – has passed both the State House and Senate with unanimous approval and awaits the signature of Governor Bobby Jindal (R). The proposed law would combat political persuasion calls (also known as ‘political telemarketing’ or ‘push polls’) while protecting legitimate survey and opinion research (including message testing). Read More
CMOR-Authored Bill Passes, Signed By Louisiana Governor Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 7/10/2008 9:35:00 AM Louisiana Act 810 – legislation drafted by CMOR – which had passed both the State House and Senate with unanimous approval was signed yesterday by Governor Bobby Jindal (R). The law will combat political persuasion calls (also known as ‘political telemarketing’ or ‘push polls’) while protecting legitimate survey and opinion research (including message testing). Read More