MRA Volunteer Testifies in Defense of Exit Polling at Committee Hearing Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 3/3/2010 10:32:00 AM A volunteer leader of the Marketing Research Association (MRA) testified this morning at a Minnesota committee hearing in defense of exit polling. Gayle Belkengren, President of the MRA Minnesota/Upper Midwest Chapter, spoke in the Minnesota State House in support of legalizing exit pollsters’ access to voting places. Read More
MRA Endorses Legislation in Support of Exit Polling Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 2/16/2010 10:30:00 AM The Marketing Research Association (MRA) endorsed legislation today in the state of Minnesota that would make it legal for researchers to do exit polling near a voting place. The bill, S.F. 2388, is being considered today in a hearing of the Senate Committee on State and Local Government Operations and Oversight. Read More
Minnesota Clears the Way for Survey Research with Physician Respondents Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 2/2/2010 5:21:00 PM The Minnesota Board of Pharmacy has revised the language of an important Frequently Asked Question (FAQ) to ensure that payments to Minnesota health care practitioners for participation in bona fide market research are NOT prohibited or restricted. Read More
Research Profession Testifies Before Joint House & Senate Committee Hearing in Minnesota Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 1/24/2010 5:15:00 PM The U.S. survey and research profession testified today before a joint hearing in the Minnesota House and Senate. The Marketing Research Association’s (MRA) Director of Government Affairs, Howard Fienberg, PLC, defended the use of physician incentives in pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturing. Read More
Financial Privacy: Best Practices for Survey, Opinion and Marketing Researchers Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 10/23/2009 3:52:00 PM The Gramm-Leach-Bliley (GLB) Act is a federal law concerned, in part, with privacy and security of consumer financial information. Read More
Maine Set to Repeal Minors Data Law Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 10/18/2009 8:20:00 AM Maine’s Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary voted Friday to recommend the prompt repeal of the Prevent Predatory Marketing Practices against Minors Act, a law prohibiting the transfer of personal information regarding minors (under 18). The Marketing Research Association (MRA), which had filed comments with the Committee, applauded the legislators’ efforts and looks forward to working with them to craft a new, more carefully crafted law, which will not impede survey and opinion research. Read More
MRA Requests Reconsideration from Maine Legislature Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 10/8/2009 8:33:00 AM The Marketing Research Association requested today that the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary in Maine exempt survey and opinion research from their data transfer prohibitions. A new Maine law, the Prevent Predatory Marketing Practices against Minors Act, aimed at protecting minors in Maine under 18 years old, prohibits any transfer of their personally identifiable information, for any purpose, regardless of any parental consent. Read More
New Maine Law Forbids Transfer Of Minors' Data Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 9/13/2009 8:24:00 AM A new Maine law aimed at protecting minors in Maine under 18 years of age prohibits any transfer of their personally identifiable information. Read More
MRA Seeks Your Feedback in Defining “Research” in the Law Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 8/4/2009 5:35:00 PM MRA’s Government Affairs Committee has drafted a definition below, and seeks comment from the entire research profession. Read More
Marketing Research Association Victory in Massachusetts Howard Fienberg Government Affairs 5/28/2009 5:05:00 PM Today, the Marketing Research Association (MRA) announces victory in its lobbying and grassroots actions to protect research with health care practitioners in Massachusetts. The Massachusetts Department of Health has issued official guidance exempting market research incentives from the application of the state’s new Marketing Code of Conduct for pharmaceutical and medical device manufacturers. Read More