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June brought lots of sizzling policy developments for the insights industry -- some promising, others challenging. Thankfully, the Insights Association was right in the thick of it. Let’s look at some wins on privacy issues and political polling, a troubling GDPR case in Europe, lots of new guidance on privacy, AI, HR, and email laws, developments on indirect costs in federally-funded research, and more.

The insights industry faced more than just April showers, as the first full month of spring brought tempestuous issues, such as whether recent federal government action against DEI and sex/gender identity means we can no longer ask demographic questions, and determining the current impact of DOGE on the industry. We weighed in with Congress on consumer data privacy legislation, looked at a new privacy law change in Utah and the status of some AI legislation in California, urged more funding for ...

While temperatures are starting to dip, concerns still simmered in September for the insights industry as we dealt with more new state privacy laws, burgeoning regulation of AI, and other pressing advocacy issues.

As temperatures rose, so did the threats and opportunities for the insights industry in advocacy during May, ranging from three new comprehensive state privacy laws, advancing regulation of artificial intelligence, compliance concerns with state sales taxes, jousting over the Census Household Panel, restrictions on high-end incentives for research subjects, state legislation to ban non-competes, and a new Maryland law restricting most telephone calls for research purposes.

As summer approaches, the Insights Association continues to engage on state privacy legislation, new prohibitions on selling insights services to Russia, the Census Bureau’s Ask U.S. Panel, possible taxes aimed at online insights companies, and other pressing policy issues.

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).

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).

CMOR in late February helped defeat Louisiana House Bill 58—legislation that would have severely harmed political survey and opinion research with residents of Louisiana.