Welcome to the latest ISSA Legislative & Regulatory Update, a biweekly roundup of the public-policy issues currently impacting the full cleaning supply chain. This update touches on ISSA announcing its 2025 policy priorities, ISSA’s new Spotless Spaces Competition, helping ISSA secure a 2025 Cleaning Week proclamation from your state, and more.

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ISSA Advocacy

ISSA Announces 2025 Policy Priorities, Supporting Cleaner, Healthier Future
What it means: Building on ISSA’s significant advocacy success in 2024, the association unveiled its ambitious 2025 policy priorities.
Why it matters: These priorities are aimed at fostering growth, innovation, and sustainability in the cleaning and facility-solutions industry. They focus on ensuring cleaner, healthier spaces while advancing the industry’s competitiveness, workforce, and improved regulatory landscape. ISSA’s 2025 policy priorities include:

1. Promoting Growth through Tax Policies
2. Expanding Workforce Development
3. Ensuring Cleaner, Healthier, and Accessible Spaces
4. Strengthening EPA’s Office of Pesticide Programs
5. Defending Science-Based Best Practices

What ISSA is doing: ISSA encourages all industry leaders to make their voices heard and engage in our advocacy efforts. A prime opportunity to do so is at the 2025 ISSA Clean Advocacy Summit, March 31-April 1 in Washington, DC. The summit brings together industry experts, policymakers, and stakeholders to discuss the future of the cleaning industry and advocate for policies that matter most. Learn more

Nominate a Cleaning Team for ISSA’s Spotless Spaces Competition
What it means: Our inaugural Spotless Spaces Competition, in conjunction with International Cleaning Week 2025, March 23-29, is your chance to showcase your cleaning team’s or a customer’s tireless dedication and spotlight the pristine space that they maintain.
Why it matters: Your or your customer’s cleaning team doesn’t just clean—they create environments where safety, health, and well-being thrive.
What ISSA is doing: This exclusive ISSA member benefit allows cleaning and facilities teams to showcase their exceptional environments on a global stage. Members can nominate a space by February 14 to highlight a cleaning team’s critical work in maintaining clean, safe, and healthy facilities. Show the world what clean really means! Learn more

Ohio, New Hampshire, and Georgia are the latest states to proclaim a Cleaning Week in conjunction with International Cleaning Week 2025–thank you to Governors DeWine, Ayotte, and Kemp, as well as to ISSA’s Jeff Cross (OH), The Maid’s Bailey McNeil (NH), and JAN-PRO’s Connor Waldron (GA)! Will your state proclaim an official Cleaning Week this year?

Help ISSA Secure a Cleaning Week Proclamation from Your State
What it means: March 23-29 is International Cleaning Week–a time when the entire cleaning and facility-solutions industry celebrates the value of clean.
Why it matters: Help ISSA raise awareness about our industry and change the way the world views cleaning by submitting a proclamation request to designate an official week of cleaning for your state!
What ISSA is doing: Nearly every state has an online form that a resident of that state can use to submit a proclamation request free of charge. ISSA has already prepared a template proclamation, but we need your help submitting the proclamation requests by February 14. Help us reach our goal of designating a Cleaning Week in all 50 states.

There are currently 11 states where ISSA still needs to submit a proclamation request, including Colorado, Hawaii, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Mississippi, New Mexico, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Wyoming. If you’re interested in helping ISSA with this campaign and live and/or work in one of these states, please contact ISSA Senior Government Affairs Manager Stacy Seiden. Learn more

Be the Voice of Change: Register for the 2025 Clean Advocacy Summit
John Nothdurft is ISSA’s Director of Government Affairs. In this episode of Straight Talk!, he discusses the 2025 ISSA Clean Advocacy Summit, March 31-April 1, the must-attend event for cleaning industry professionals passionate about driving change.

Nothdurft shares the summit’s key objectives, including tackling critical public-policy issues and empowering attendees with the tools to advocate effectively. Discover what makes this event a game-changer, from congressional meetings to networking opportunities with industry leaders and policymakers. Learn more

Thank you to Tork, an Essity Brand for serving as the Presenting Sponsor, BradyPlus as the Platinum Sponsor, Imperial Dade and Route as Gold Sponsors, and Aunt Flow, Bobrick, Citron Hygiene, Hospeco Brands Group, Maid Brigade, MaskIT, Products Chemical, Spartan Chemical, and You’ve Got Maids of Northern Virginia as Silver Sponsors of the 2025 summit.

Registration is limited for this premier advocacy event for our industry, so reserve your seat today!

Additional Updates

Regulatory & Judicial

Trump Agrees to Pause Tariffs on Canada, Mexico
President Trump agreed to a 30-day pause on his tariff threats against Mexico and Canada as America’s two largest trading partners took steps to appease his concerns about border security and drug trafficking, according to AP. The 10% tariff that Trump ordered on China went into effect as scheduled on Tuesday, though Trump planned to talk with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the next few days. Learn more

EPA Drops PFAS Discharge Rule
A U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rule that would have limited the amount of PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, that companies can discharge into waterways has been withdrawn following a regulatory freeze by President Trump, CityView reports. Learn more

EPA, DOJ Fine Waste Management Company
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) settled with Stericycle Inc. for systemic, nationwide violations of the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA), and related regulations in the operation of its former hazardous waste management business from May 5, 2014, through April 6, 2020, according to Cleaning & Maintenance Management. Learn more

DOL Ceases All Discrimination Investigation, Enforcement Activities
The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) halted investigation and enforcement into government contractors’ compliance with anti-discrimination law and affirmative-action programs, Cleaning & Maintenance Management reports. Learn more

CTA Still Blocked, Despite Supreme Court Decision
Enforcement of the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), which requires millions of companies to disclose their true ownership, remains on hold despite a U.S. Supreme Court ruling in favor of the Treasury Department, according to JDSupra. The Supreme Court overturned a lower court order that was blocking enforcement of the CTA. However, a separate national injunction issued earlier this month by a federal judge apparently remains in place and continues to block the law’s implementation. Learn more

Legislative

President Trump Signs Laken Riley Act into Law
President Trump signed his first piece of legislation into law, the Laken Riley Act. This law mandates the federal detention of illegal immigrants who are accused of theft, burglary, assaulting a law enforcement officer, and any crime that causes death or serious bodily injury. Learn more

Senators Push for Stronger US Supply Chains
U.S. Senators Cantwell (D-WA), Blackburn (R-TN), and Blunt Rochester (D-DE) reintroduced the Promoting Resilient Supply Chains Act, SupplyChain reports. The bipartisan bill aims to strengthen supply chains for critical industries and emerging technologies, working with both government and private sector partners to prevent future disruptions. Learn more

Senate Confirms Zeldin as EPA Administrator
The U.S. Senate confirmed President Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), former New York State congressional representative Lee Zeldin, who will play a key role in the administration’s efforts to deregulate and rethink the agency’s stance on climate change, according to Bloomberg Law. Learn more

State News

MI Minimum Wage, Sick Leave Bills Clear House with Bipartisan Support
With less than a month remaining until new minimum wage and paid sick leave laws are set to take effect, the Michigan House continued to fast track two bills that would roll back some of the changes, Michigan Advance reports. Learn more

OH Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Ban Non-competes for Employees
Two Ohio lawmakers introduced a bipartisan bill to ban employers from enforcing non-compete clauses in any of their workers’ contracts, according to Statehouse News Bureau. Learn more

ID Considers Requiring Employers to Verify Worker-Immigration Status
The E-Verify program draws opposition from a congressional representative and Idaho farmers, as border politics clash with economic realities. In other states that have adopted it, the program has had little impact, the Idaho Capital Sun reports. Learn more