• This Alert is a special update regarding the Federal Trade Commission’s rule banning noncompete clauses On Tuesday, April 23, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) voted 3-2 along party lines to approve its new rule on noncompete agreements. The new rule, which will take effect in 120 days, essentially bans noncompetes for all workers, finding […]
Author: Chad Tokowicz
Regulatory Alert – Changed Overtime Rule for Salaried Employees
• This MRAA Alert is a special update regarding the U.S. Department of Labor Final Rule on increased salary requirements for “White Collar Overtime Exemptions” The U.S. Department of Labor on Tuesday, April 23 announced the release of a final rule raising the minimum annual salary threshold for overtime pay eligibility. This primarily applies to […]
MRAA Sponsors, Attends 2024 International Boating and Water Safety Summit
The MRAA’s government relations team presented at the 2024 International Boating and Water Safety Summit April 8-11, in Albuquerque, N.M.
MRAA Joins Water Sports Industry Association Annual Summit
• The Summit allows MRAA, WSIA to continue to build collaboration on overlapping government relations priorities By Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager I recently joined the Water Sports Industry Association (WSIA) for their annual summit in the snow, which took place at the Everline Resort in Olympic Valley, Calif. The summit, which is hosted […]
New MRAA Advocacy Toolkit
• Your Ticket to a Seat at the Legislative Table Your business is affected by policies and regulations that are written in state legislatures and Congress, so naturally we want to ensure that you have a voice in how those laws are crafted. For that reason, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas is excited […]
Advocacy Update: Final North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule Delayed Until 2024
The long-awaited final North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule will likely not be finalized by the end of 2023, according to Janet Coit, Assistant Administrator of Fisheries at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This rule, which proposes to put in place a 10-knot speed limit on all vessels 35 feet or larger […]
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries Rejects Petition to Establish Vessel Speed Zone in the Gulf of Mexico
Friday, Oct. 27, the National Atmospheric and Oceanographic Administration Office of Fisheries denied a petition to establish a mandatory 10-knot (11-mph) speed limit, and other vessel-related mitigation measures, to protect the endangered Rice’s whale in the Gulf of Mexico. This decision comes ahead of the highly anticipated Final Agency Action on the Proposed Amendments to […]
Gathering to Share Recreational Boating Priorities in Massachusetts
• Recreational Boating Industry Meets with Paul Jahnige, Director of Massachusetts Office of Outdoor Recreation By Chad Tokowicz, MRAA Government Relations Manager Last week members of the recreational boating industry met to welcome Paul Jahnige as the inaugural Director of Massachusetts’s Office of Outdoor Recreation (OREC), making the Bay State the 18th state in the […]
Lake Havasu Gathering Promotes Boating Advocacy, Education
Recently, the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA), National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) and the Lake Havasu Marine Association (LHMA) met with elected officials from the Arizona State Legislature and the Lake Havasu City community to discuss various recreational boating priorities and highlight the impact recreational boating has on the local Lake Havasu City […]
MRAA Advocacy Engages Avalon-Tahoe Dealers
As the Marine Retailers Association of the Americas (MRAA) continues to grow and work with all sectors of the industry, meshing directly with boat manufacturers is becoming an increasingly important method to engage new dealers. Presenting at dealer meetings is a great way for our team to meet potential members and highlight MRAA Membership benefits, […]