AN UPDATE ON HFA’S EFFORTS ACROSS THE GLOBE
HFA Advocacy on the Move
The HFA advocacy team delivered major victories in California this September, defeating two proposals that would have imposed costly and unnecessary burdens on fitness facilities. The team also continues to build key relationships at the state level, most recently in Illinois and Virginia. More details found below.
Keeping Fitness Front and Center
Even in a year of political and economic uncertainty, HFA has demonstrated what effective advocacy looks like: targeted, proactive, and deeply engaged. From galvanizing the global movement to promote physical activity and safeguarding franchise independence to defeating harmful state proposals and celebrating community-level progress, HFA continues to prove that meaningful policy change doesn’t require waiting on Washington or other national governing bodies to act.
Our message is clear: Fitness is not just a lifestyle choice; it is also a public priority that deserves representation around the world.
California
HFA successfully defeated two proposals:
● Employee Break Room Surveillance Ban. This measure would have prohibited audio and video monitoring in employee break rooms, a policy heavily backed by labor unions. Its defeat preserves an important tool for operators to monitor theft, document harassment, and address inappropriate behavior.
● Geolocation Data Disclosure Mandate. The second bill would have required facilities to publicly disclose intricate details about their collection and use of geolocation data, creating compliance headaches with little benefit to consumers. HFA’s intervention stopped the proposal before it could advance, protecting operators from excessive regulation and preserving member trust.
HFA will remain vigilant in California by advancing pro-innovation and safety-focused policies while opposing harmful mandates, including a forthcoming cold spa bill that would limit operators from utilizing effective treatments in their facilities.
Illinois
Charles Regnante, HFA’s manager of government affairs, recently met with Rep. Marcus Evans, chair of the Illinois House Labor and Commerce committee, to discuss legislation supporting fitness facilities—a critical dialogue given the committee’s jurisdiction over liability waivers, independent contractor rules, overtime pay, and minimum wage. Evans’ leadership and support make him a powerful ally for the industry.
Regnante (l) and Rep. Evans
Virginia
In Ashburn, Virginia, we joined in celebrating the expansion of the Dominique Dawes Gymnastics Academy, marking the opening of its fourth location on October 17. The event highlighted how youth-focused programs can ignite a lifelong love of exercise.
Founder and Olympic legend Dominique Dawes, alongside Academy CEO Adam Zeitsiff—who also chairs HFA’s public policy advisory group, the National Health and Fitness Alliance—welcomed policymakers and community members to the facility. US Rep. Suhas Subramanyam (D-VA) attended the opening, underscoring bipartisan Congressional support for programs that promote youth physical activity. (If you are opening a new facility, reach out to HFA so we can request that your representative in Congress attends the opening.)
(l to r) Dawes, Rep. Subramanyam, Zeitsiff, and Goscinski
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Health & Fitness Business (HFB) is the leading health and fitness industry publication. Published monthly by the Health & Fitness Association (HFA) and distributed free to the industry, HFB offers analysis of the opportunities, challenges, issues and news that impact the industry.
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