MRA's cooperative lobbying efforts with the American Association of Political Consultants (AAPC) bore fruit this year in Alabama and Alaska.
- Alabama S.B. 96: This bill would have inserted bias into political research calls by forcing revelation of sponsorship, in addition to forcing such calls to be labeled as "advertisements". After multiple attempts to work with the legislation's sponsor, MRA and AAPC helped to kill the bill in the Alabama House.
- Alaska S.B. 40 and H.B. 226: Both these bills would have forbidden automated telephone research calls. MRA and AAPC helped to halt the bills in their tracks. However, the legislature in Alaska allows bills to carry over to the next session (2012), so we will be back on guard next year.
About the Author
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.