GCSAA Director of Congressional and Federal Affairs Bob Helland appeared before the Club Managers Association of America's 30th Leadership/Legislative Conference, held in Washington, D.C. Helland discussed advocacy issues with club managers as part of a panel that included Melissa Low, CMAA senior director of communications and advocacy, and Brad Steele, vice president of government relations and general counsel for the National Club Association.

Helland, Steele and Low discussed the number of favorable regulatory developments impacting club managers and the entire golf industry, as well as the challenges that remain. Helland spoke of the efforts by GCSAA’s government affairs team to make sure superintendents have the inputs they need to grow healthy turfgrass and maintain ideal playing conditions. He discussed the ongoing rescission of the Clean Water Rule (WOTUS) and GCSAA’s efforts – individually and as part of a coalition – to develop a replacement. He also spoke of pesticide regulation and the need to ensure the responsible use of pesticide products and maintain their availability. Finally, he discussed GCSAA’s Grassroots Ambassadors program and how it complements direct advocacy efforts in Washington by giving members of Congress a better understanding of the economic and environmental contributions made golf facilities to their communities and congressional districts.

Low spoke of efforts to replace the Overtime Rule proposed by the Obama Administration with a minimum salary threshold that takes into account conditions faced by clubs across the country. She also discussed other legislative and regulatory efforts on the federal, state and local level. She stressed the need for the industry to work collectively on these issues, including on National Golf Day and the Leadership/Legislative Conference.

Steele provided an update on the Affordable Care Act and how additional legislative action may be pending. He also provided a broader discussion of the legislative landscape as Congress considers how to fund the federal government’s operations for the upcoming fiscal year and provide additional disaster relief for those impacted by Hurricanes Harvey and Irma. 

CMAA members then spent the afternoon meeting with Members of Congress and their staffs.