House Passes Bill to Amend Energy Requirement for Security Industry
The House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a bill
that would enact a key legislative fix sought by a Security Industry Association
(SIA)-led coalition.
The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007
requires electronic devices to meet certain efficiency standards while in
“no-load” mode. The requirements apply to security and life safety devices —
such as video surveillance and access control systems — even though they are
always in “active” mode. To correct this, SIA pulled together a coalition that
contains both industry and environmental groups — including the Natural Resources
Defense Council (NRDC) — to draft legislative language and advocate for a fix.
H.R. 5470 from
Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., contains language drafted by the coalition that
would provide an exemption from the “no-load” requirements for security and
life safety products. The bill would retain EISA’s “active” mode efficiency
standards for those products. Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., is the lead Republican
co-sponsor on the bill.
“This is an important vote for the security industry,” SIA research
director Mark Visbal said. “Members of Congress — like the environmental groups
that support this bill — clearly recognize the need to correct this legislative
glitch. SIA thanks Congressman Pallone for his efforts to enact this important
correction.”
Multiple Senate proposals introduced by Sen. Jeff Bingaman,
D-N.M., include the security and life safety exemption, while Pallone’s
proposal is a stand-alone measure.
SIA's leadership in developing consensus on the issue,
Visbal and other association officials noted, offers an important example of
the group's commitment to providing results for its members and the entire
security industry.
In addition to SIA and the NRDC, the provision is supported
by the Alliance
to Save Energy, the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, the
Appliance Standards Awareness Project and the Electronic Security Association.