IHRSA, the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association, released a new publication, explaining and communicating the value of IHRSA’s advocacy efforts.
The report gives an overview of the activities the trade association undertook in 2016 to grow, promote and protect the health club industry so it can continue its important work in promoting physical activity to improve America’s health and bring down the cost of preventable chronic diseases that drive up healthcare spending.
The report, entitled 2016 IHRSA Advocacy Impact Report with 2017 Legislative Forecasting, also looks ahead to opportunities and challenges for 2017.
“State and national lawmakers take actions every day that affect health club operations,” said Helen Durkin, IHRSA’s executive vice president of public policy. “Our job at IHRSA is to make sure that any legislative action is in the best interest of the club industry so it can continue to provide the much-needed community resources for everyday Americans to exercise in safe, convenient, and supportive environments.”
Durkin continued: “Educating IHRSA members about the threats and opportunities the industry faces is a crucial part of ensuring that club operators are ready to take action when needed to ensure the financial health of their businesses.”
IHRSA actively monitors legislation and works with the club industry to influence laws and regulations that affect health club operations. In 2016, IHRSA’s advocacy efforts had a significant impact.
For instance, IHRSA successfully worked with four states to expand access to physical activity in schools; lobbied Congress to win the bipartisan support of health-supportive legislation, known as PHIT, which would let Americans use pre-tax dollars for fitness expenses, ultimately securing 103 co-sponsors for the legislation; and worked with clubs across the country to send more than 1,500 messages to lawmakers, urging them to support pro-physical activity bills in Congress.
IHRSA also stopped four bills that would have expanded the sales tax to health clubs; protected clubs in four states from legislation regulating membership contract renewals; and protected the bottom-line of clubs across the country from proposed legislation and regulations, ensuring they could continue to operate — and thereby continue to provide local jobs and safe havens for people to exercise.
“IHRSA’s in-house public policy team and expert lobbyists keep a vigilant watch over proposed legislation and its potential impact on club and fitness businesses,” Durkin added. “These efforts enable club operators and industry professionals to do what they do best — stay focused on managing their facilities and serving club members, without needing to allocate resources to continually scan the political world for emerging government policies that could affect their businesses. In short, IHRSA watches guard for them.”
IHRSA’s Advocacy Impact Report is available to all industry members and members of the media.
The 28-page report is divided into sections according to issue, state, and time-frame, including categories such as Impact by the Numbers, 2017 Threat and Opportunity Forecasts and a grateful acknowledgement of IHRSA’s Industry Leadership Council (ILC) Members whose generous contributions make IHRSA’s advocacy work possible.
