Government Affairs
MRA’s Government Affairs arm is the ONE authority protecting the opinion and survey research profession now and for the future. MRA’s Government Affairs team advocates for and defends the profession's interests before state and federal legislators and regulators, whenever legislation or regulation might impact research work and the quality of research. The Government Affairs team works on issues of consumer and data privacy, in defense of most every mode and method of research.
MRA also helps educate members of the profession in compliance and best practices for state and federal laws that impact research, assists members in responding to litigation and reviews and files amicus briefs with the courts.
MRA is the only survey and opinion research association advocating for and protecting the research profession. MRA members are constantly updated on all the latest laws and regulations involving opinion and survey research. Members are always encouraged to help protect and promote the whole research profession by volunteering as a grassroots member.
New Massachusetts pharmaceutical law went into effect on July 1st.
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Nevada Mandates Encryption Standard
10.22.09
While Massachusetts has imposed a sweeping mandate for data security that the regulators continue to tweak and re-tweak (read about it in the November issue of Alert!), Nevada has implemented their own mandate that survey and opinion research businesses must implement. Starting January 1, 2010, survey and opinion research businesses either located in Nevada or conducting business in Nevada will be required to use encryption when transferring or transmitting personal information electronically (other than by fax).
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MRA Requests Reconsideration from Maine Legislature: Prohibition on Transfer of Minors’ Data Hurts Both Research and Maine
10.09.09
(Glastonbury, Conn.) The Marketing Research Association requested today that the Joint Standing Committee on Judiciary in Maine exempt survey and opinion research from their data transfer prohibitions. A new Maine law, the Prevent Predatory Marketing Practices against Minors Act, aimed at protecting minors in Maine under 18 years old, prohibits any transfer of their personally identifiable information, for any purpose, regardless of any parental consent.
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“Sorry” Just Won’t Cut It Any More: HIPAA Data Breaches Bring Serious Legal Consequences
09.22.09
New additions to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) Privacy and Security rules by the stimulus law earlier this year dramatically alter the legal requirements for research organizations (“business associates”) handling “protected health information” (PHI) for healthcare entities such as hospitals and insurance companies (“covered entities”). While the rules used to only impact business associates in their contracts with covered entities, the stimulus law provisions (known as the HITECH Act) apply those rules directly to business associates, imposing heaps of new liability. We will look at those rules in depth later. For now, let us discuss the regulations coming into effect on September 23 on data security breach notification.
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New Maine Law Forbids Transfer Of Minors' Data, Will Impact Every Researcher With Data On Under-18-Year-Olds
09.14.09
(Glastonbury, Conn.) A new Maine law aimed at protecting minors in Maine under 18 years of age prohibits any transfer of their personally identifiable information. CMOR, a division of the Marketing Research Association, warns that this law could impact any research organization, no matter where they are located, that collects, analyzes or stores data on a Maine resident under the age of 18, and could subject them to private lawsuits for any violation.
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The Fair Information Practices: The Data Protection Model for Survey Research
08.22.09
The Fair Information Practices (FIPs) are a set of principles guiding privacy policy in both the public and private sectors. They address individuals’ privacy rights and how companies and governments may use personally identifiable information. First proposed by a U.S. government advisory report in the 1970s, FIPs have since become foundational principles guiding many governments around the world in the crafting of statutes and regulations related to data privacy protection.
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