Throughout 2018 the CompTIA Public Advocacy Team worked with member companies to collaborate on efforts to represent and promote the entire tech industry in Washington, DC, in states around the country, and in international markets. We presented a strong and unified voice on several critical issues facing the industry today. From our trip to China to discuss ongoing trade negotiations to our efforts in California on consumer privacy, CompTIA ensured that lawmakers understood the critical role technology companies play in driving our economy and improving our daily lives.
We’ve compiled reports that detail a number of accomplishments from our Federal Policy Team, our State Government Affairs Team, and our International Policy & Regulation Compliance Team. You can download and view each of these documents below.
Here are some of the highlights from the 2018 reports.
Federal Policy Team
CompTIA’s Federal Policy Team is focused on communicating directly with Congress, the White House, and federal agencies through lobbying, grassroots, and thought leadership. Throughout 2018, the team leveraged their expertise and their networks to appropriately position CompTIA and the technology sector within core policy debates.
CompTIA tracked 764 bills introduced in Congress this year. At the same time, the federal affairs team has closely monitored countless regulations, executive orders, and administrative actions taken at the agency level that have an impact on the technology industry. CompTIA also has led a number of policy discussions, briefings, white papers, and policy principles documents on issues where CompTIA continues to lead in both advocating for policy and building key allies within the federal government.
Our focus on workforce development centered on supporting the CHANCE in Tech Act, which would create stronger infrastructure around apprenticeships within the technology industry to increase the use of apprenticeships and training within the industry and prepare us for the future.
CompTIA also joined a multi-association letter to U.S. Secretary of the Treasury that detailed our concerns with efforts led by the European Commission and The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) to implement new tax policies that would harm U.S. business interests.
View the 2018 Federal Policy Accomplishments
State Government Affairs (SGA) Team
Our State Government Affairs Team tracked more than 1,100 bills in 44 states in 2018. Privacy remained the dominant set of issues of the 2018 session, with CompTIA monitoring or engaging on 435 bills in 42 states. CompTIA also served as a vocal actor in the negotiations to clean up the California Consumer Privacy Act, supporting the effort to delay implementation and securing some key exemptions for industry.
Despite industry opposition to the law, which takes effect in 2020, the final proposal was preferable to the ballot initiative that included provisions that would have allowed consumers to sue companies for all violations rather than just data breaches. CompTIA will be actively working to address problematic provisions of the law before it takes effect.
Education and workforce development was important across many states in 2018. In fact, CompTIA monitored or worked on 97 education and workforce development bills impacting the technology
industry in 19 states in 2018.
Our team also worked on state legislation on taxes, self-driving vehicles, drones, the use of blockchain, and public procurement.
View the 2018 State Government Affairs Team Accomplishments
International Policy & Regulatory Compliance Team
While the International Policy & Regulatory Compliance (IPRC) Team works in issues that span the globe, we spent a lot of time and effort working to protect American technology companies from harmful tariffs that are a result of the ongoing trade negotiations between the U.S. and China.
The proposed tariffs on tech goods was a top priority for member companies in 2018. The ongoing efforts to rebalance the U.S-China trade relationship and the resulting impacts of the tariffs will continue to be a top priority in 2019.
CompTIA joined other associations and their respective members for meetings with government officials as well as signing numerous letters advocating on behalf of better deals to protect American technology companies while not harming the economy.
On June 19, CompTIA also penned an op-ed on “Why trade wars over tariffs are not the answer for tech” in the San Jose Mercury News.
Later in the year, CompTIA staff joined other U.S. companies in a trip to China to continue the discussions on trade and how best to move forward to ensure American technology businesses aren’t shut out of the market but are well protected while doing business there.
All of these efforts are extremely important to our members and to the entire country. Exports of products and services by the U.S. tech industry totaled an estimated $322 billion in 2017, according to CompTIA’s 2018 Tech Trade Snapshot. Further, exports account for approximately $1 out of every $4 generated in the nation’s tech industry; and directly support 40 percent of tech manufacturing jobs. The rules of trade – market access, fair and reciprocal treatment and transparency – impact the flow of technology goods and services that meet the needs of businesses and consumers.
View the 2018 International Policy and Regulatory Compliance Team Accomplishments
Building on a Strong 2018
CompTIA’s work on the federal, state and international fronts had a significant impact on the growing technology sector and specifically on our diverse membership. We’re proud of the accomplishments these teams earned in 2018, and that hard work is already being built upon for an active and productive 2019.
We’ve mapped out some key legislative priorities for CompTIA in 2019 with a focus on making sure broadband connectivity is a key part of any federal infrastructure package, working with Congress to create a federal privacy legislation that protects consumers without harming technology businesses, and continuing our work to ensure that programs are in place to help the tech sector train workers for the future.
