| IHRSA Report | In Brief
magine for a moment what your bottom line would look like if you could no
I
longer offer group exercise or personal training. While this scenario may
sound farfetched, it almost came to pass last year in New Jersey, where a
powerful member of the Senate introduced a bill that would have essentially
shut down these profitable practices in for-profit facilities.
Fortunately, the bill was stopped and the jobs of an estimated 10,000 fitness
professionals in the Garden State were saved.
An Ally
IHRSA is constantly monitoring pending state legislation and regulations that
could have either a positive or negative effect on the health club industry. In 2009,
at Home
the association tracked more than 250 pieces of legislation. IHRSA lobbies legislators
directly to educate them about the potential impact that a proposed bill could
have, or to offer support for positive legislation. In 13 key battleground states,
and on
IHRSA’s lobbyists work actively with legislators on a daily basis to protect and
promote the industry.
Capitol Hill
Sometimes, a legislative issue becomes a full-scale battle that requires a mobi-
lized grassroots network of club operators, fitness professionals, and, frequently,
health club consumers. In New Jersey, IHRSA worked with clubs across the state
and the New Jersey Coalition of Fitness Professionals to lobby legislators. The
grassroots campaign generated more than 11,500 e-mails to legislators and was
a major factor in preventing the bill from moving forward.
Legislation related to personal training and group exercise is just one of the
many areas that IHRSA focuses on. Two other topics that are critical to daily club
operations include the imposition of sales tax on club dues and fees, and the
prohibition of automatic renewal clauses. IHRSA’s work at the state level provides
tremendous value to member clubs not only via government relations and lobbying,
but also with respect to informational services. All IHRSA members have access
to state-specific areas on
ihrsa.org. The pages encompass such content
as: laws and regulations, including defibrillator requirements,
consumer protection statutes, and sales tax info; summary
of state liability waivers; links to such useful sites as the state
government page, “do not call” information, childcare licensing
information; state-specific fitness fact sheets; and recent news.
IHRSA also provides value to members through its work at
the national level, including its two annual health-promotion
campaigns. In January, clubs participate in I Lost It at the Club!,
an eight-week weight-loss program designed to integrate new
members into the club, increase retention of existing members,
and enhance community outreach. Every May brings Get Active
America! to clubs. This national open house helps to educate people
about the importance of regular exercise to their health and to increase
foot traffic, and ultimately memberships, at clubs.
These national health-promotion programs complement IHRSA’s efforts
in Washington, D.C., to raise the profile of the industry. In both cases, it’s
conveying the impact that clubs can have on Americans’ health as well as the
related cost-savings benefits that result from decreasing chronic disease. In the
nation’s capital, IHRSA lobbies Congress and the executive branch while building
strong relationships with strategic organizations and government agencies. So,
while the association is helping you to market your club in your community, it’s
also working at the highest levels to increase government support of exercise as
an integral part of healthy lifestyles.
All of these activities add up to just a portion of the work that IHRSA’s Public
Policy Department carries out on behalf of its member clubs. Though other benefits
of membership may feel more tangible, knowing that IHRSA is working every day
to protect your business provides invaluable peace of mind.
—|
.org
Additional members-only resources are available at
www.ihrsa.org/publicpolicy.
For more information, contact IHRSA’s Public Policy Department via
gr@ihrsa.org or 800-228-4772.
140 Club Business International | MARCH 2010 |
www.ihrsa.org
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