The Pennsylvania Food Merchants Association (PFMA) recently released its list of state and federal regulatory priorities for 2019.
The state list includes seven regulations PFMA supports and five it opposes.
PFMA supports updating state alcohol sales and distribution laws, adjusting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) distribution schedule, establishing a five-cent per fluid millimeter tax on consumable vapor products, repealing the Philadelphia sugar-sweetened beverage tax, updating the Price Gouging Act and emergency declaration process, amending the 2017gaming expansion legislation, and reforming and streamlining the regulatory process.
It opposes proposed increases to the state cigarette tax, raising the state sales tax, any paid or unpaid leave laws, the elimination of property taxes, and increasing in the personal income tax.
The federal list includes five items PFMA supports and five it opposes.
PFMA supports delaying, simplifying or eliminating the menu labeling rule in the Affordable Care Act, comprehensive tax form for individuals and businesses, legislation addressing baseless patent suits, improving and increasing access and funding for the Healthy Food Financing Initiative, and reforming and streamlining the regulatory process.
It opposes paid and unpaid leave policies, a federal soda or sugar-sweetened beverage tax, additional taxes on cigarettes, changing the point of obligation under the Renewable Fuels Standard Program, and any cuts to SNAP.