NRA, state lawmakers talk policy at legislative summit

Representatives of the National Restaurant Association recently met with teams of legislators to discuss several issues affecting the restaurant industry, including immigration, health care and mobile payments, at the National Conference of State Legislatures Summit in Atlanta.

The event, held last month, allowed the NRA to address those pressing issues and talk policy with state lawmakers and government officials.

Amanda Rieter, the NRA’s director of policy and industry affairs, said the NCSL conference is an important event for the industry and the Association’s government affairs team.

“Many of the public policy issues being discussed in our state capitols are issues that affect restaurants and other small businesses,” Rieter said. “This conference is important because it gives us the opportunity not only to educate lawmakers about our industry, but also find ways that we can all work together.”

During the conference, the Association, along with the Georgia Restaurant Association, Yum! Brands and Brinker International, hosted a reception for hospitality industry and legislator attendees. Sen. Renee Unterman (D-GA) offered thanks to the NRA and the restaurant companies for working to fight hunger in this country.

“We are so grateful that the National Restaurant Association recognizes the issue of hunger,” Sen. Unterman said. “You’re making a difference in policy and appropriations in all of the states across the country and especially in raising awareness about the problem of hunger.”

In addition to the reception, the NRA, along with Yum! Brands, also sponsored an event in which legislators packed bags of food for donation to local children who face food instability. The states with the most legislators participating in the event – Georgia, Utah, New Mexico, Oregon, and New Hampshire – all won grants, underwritten by Yum, to support hunger relief programs in their home states.