Advocacy Day
Advocacy Day was an ASLA National initiative on May 8, 2024 to connect Chapters with their congressional delegation for the support of two pieces of legislation that benefit Landscape Architects.
The Freedom To Invest Act, a proposed Senate (S.722) and House (HR.1477) bill to allow use of 529 funds for post graduate expenses related to licensing. 529 funds are exempt from federal taxes and provide incentives for early savings for education.
The second request was for support of the Water Infrastructure Sustainability and Efficiency Act (WISE) which is currently proposed House legislation (HR2921). The purpose is to require a percentage of funds through the Water Pollution Control Act (Clean Water Act) revolving fund capitalization grants, to encourage use of nature-based solutions and green infrastructure as design solutions to restore and protect water quality.
The first morning meeting with Senator Dan Sullivans staff, Nick Alexander (Fairbanks) and Erin Johnson (Anchorage) introduced them to the profession of Landscape Architecture as well as discussing support/co-sponsorship of the 529 funds act and introducing an act to match the House WISE act.
Our next meeting was with Representative Peltola’s staff, Bryce Cluff. Byrce was very familiar with the work of landscape architects having attended Texas Tech. where his focus was agriculture, but a small bit of course work in landscape architecture gave him a love for our profession. He envisions a “Division of Arctic Agriculture” someday. Peltola recognizes the need for Alaskan communities to be more competitive in grant applications and as such has hired a grant writer from Sitka.
Special thanks to both Peter Briggs and M. Elise Huggins for attending meetings and doing all the prep work that was required.
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