New Year, New State Legislative Sessions – What Grocers Need to Know

By Elizabeth Tansing, Director, State Government Relations, Food Marketing Institute

As states gear up for a frenetic legislative session – more than 40 are in full swing – and a frantic election year – just four states won’t have state legislators up for election– FMI is providing a 2016 50 State Legislative Outlook to aid members in preparing for the 2016 legislative arena.

FMI monitors over 80 issues at the state level. Currently, more than 7,000 bills have been introduced for discussion this New Year. To help prepare for this onslaught of state legislative and regulatory activity, FMI releases the 50 State Legislative Outlook every January.

This annual report examines the issues our industry expects to confront during the upcoming legislative session on a state-by-state basis. Additionally, it analyzes the previous November’s elections outcome and the potential consequences of those results for each state. To compile the document, FMI staff surveys state association executives, FMI member companies and holds four regional meetings across the country to discuss priority legislation.

In the Southern region, top issues for the grocery industry are slated to be budget revenue shortfall, legal reform, liquor reform, local ordinance preemption, sales taxes, shopping bag issues and tobacco tax increases.

In the Northeast region, we expect to see these top issues: GMO labeling, liquor reform, minimum wage, paid sick leave, predictive scheduling, shopping bags, taxes, and transportation funding.

Each region brings its own set of priority issues. To read what’s important in the other regions as well as a look into each state’s list, see the 2016 50-State Legislative Outlook online. Don’t be caught off guard by an issue in your state this year.