The Florida legislature turned its back on a bill opposed by the Insights Association that would have banned public colleges and universities from polling on political candidates.
Florida S.B. 1726 died recently at the end of the legislative session. It contained multiple reforms to the governance of the State University System of Florida, but one specific provision would have prohibited public colleges and universities from election polling focused on candidates, while still allowing them to do survey research on political or other issues.
"Election polling, including by a Florida public higher education institution, supports transparency, accountability and civic engagement," commented Howard Fienberg, Senior VP Advocacy for the Insights Association, the leading trade association for the market research and analytics industry. “It is a form of free political expression and inquiry protected by the First Amendment and vital to the health and integrity of American democracy.”
The legislation would have required the State University System of Florida Board of Governors to “adopt regulations prohibiting universities that conduct public opinion survey research from polling activities related to candidates for any federal, state, or local office. A university may conduct survey research to measure opinions and inform the public about social, political, and economic issues unrelated to candidate preference.”
Fienberg noted that, “Research helps to inform voters, parties and candidates. Allowing any entity to poll electoral candidate races ensures that no single narrative can dominate the public discourse.”
This provision was added by the Appropriations Committee on Higher Education. S.B. 1726 had earlier passed the Senate Education Postsecondary Committee by a 5-0 vote on March 31, 2025, the Appropriations Committee on Higher Education 7-0 on April 10, and the Rules Committee 20-3 on April 21. The bill officially died on the state senate floor at the end of the legislative session on June 16, 2025
“By prohibiting asking about Floridians’ candidate preference, including any elected official no matter how far off or potential their next election, and covering not just pre-election polling, but also exit polls and post-election research, Florida S.B. 1726 was more than an affront to the insights industry; it was an affront to our freedom as Americans,” Fienberg concluded.
Based in Washington, DC, Howard is the Insights Association's lobbyist for the marketing research and data analytics industry, focusing primarily on consumer privacy and data security, the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA), tort reform, and the funding and integrity of the decennial Census and the American Community Survey (ACS).
Howard has more than two decades of public policy experience. Before the Insights Association, he worked in Congress as senior legislative staffer for then-Representatives Christopher Cox (CA-48) and Cliff Stearns (FL-06). He also served more than four years with a science policy think tank, working to improve the understanding of scientific and social research and methodology among journalists and policymakers.
Howard is also co-director of The Census Project, a 900+ member coalition in support of a fair and accurate Census and ACS.
He has also served previously on the Board of Directors for the National Institute for Lobbying and Ethics and and the Association of Government Relations Professionals.
Howard has an MA International Relations from the University of Essex in England and a BA Honors Political Studies from Trent University in Canada, and has obtained the Certified Association Executive (CAE), Professional Lobbying Certificate (PLC) and the Public Policy Certificate (PPC).
When not running advocacy for the Insights Association, Howard enjoys hockey, NFL football, sci-fi and horror movies, playing with his dog, and spending time with family and friends.