Advocacy in Action | October 1, 2026
Senate passes Common Cents Act
The U.S. Senate unanimously passed The Common Cents Act (H.R. 10167), legislation, a bill addressing situations in which businesses are unable to provide exact change because of penny shortages. Among its provisions, the legislation permits businesses to round cash transactions with customers to the nearest five cents when pennies are unavailable. It also establishes a safe harbor, providing protection from liability under federal, state, and local laws for businesses that comply with the bill's rounding standards.
We expect the President to sign the Common Cents Act into law in the coming weeks.
2026 FDA Food Code
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued the 2026 edition of the FDA Food Code. The Food Code is updated on a biennial cycle to reflect advances in food safety science, regulatory practice, and emerging industry trends.
The latest Food Code addresses a range of food safety topics including sanitizer temperatures, consumer advisories, revised food establishment definition, new mobile food establishment definition, allergen cross-contact clarification, food donations, specialty mushroom hazards, dehydration and freeze-drying guidance, waste receptacle requirements, vending machine controls, and updates to the food establishment inspection report form.
Comments filed: FTC's proposed personalized pricing policy
The National Restaurant Association filed comments with the FTC in response to its proposed Enforcement Policy Statement on personalized pricing.
Personalized pricing, sometimes referred to as "surveillance pricing," is drawing increased scrutiny from federal regulators and state lawmakers.
At a high level, the comments:
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Ask the FTC to clearly distinguish customized loyalty rewards, discounts, and special offers from individualized price increases based on personal data.
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Highlight the value and affordability benefits that loyalty and reward programs provide to restaurant customers.
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Urge the FTC to avoid overly burdensome, offer-by-offer disclosure requirements for loyalty programs.
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Preserve ordinary restaurant pricing practices, including time-based promotions, pricing informed by broader market trends, and differences tied to ordering channels and other business costs.
Other Local & Federal Advocacy Updates
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Canadian Alcohol Tariffs: The Trump Administration’s ban on beverage alcohol took effect on Tuesday. Earlier this month, the Toast Not Tariffs coalition, which includes the National Restaurant Association and 58 other organizations representing the beverage alcohol supply chain, urged the Administration to pursue a negotiated resolution that restores market access for American products in Canada and avoids additional trade restrictions.
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Keith Sonderling becomes Secretary of U.S. Department of Labor: Secretary Sonderling is widely regarded as a thoughtful and pragmatic labor policymaker, with extensive experience across workforce, employment, and regulatory issues. Both the National Restaurant Association and American Hotel & Lodging Association actively supported his nomination. The Department of Labor plays a significant role in shaping and enforcing policies that directly affect hospitality operators, including wage-and-hour regulations, overtime rules, workforce development, joint employer standards, and other key employment issues.
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In California: Governor Gavin Newsom vetoed AB 2721, a measure that threatened guest privacy, public safety, and hotel operations. This bill would have required hotels to provide notice when immigration officials stayed on property. AHLA launched a targeted advocacy campaign, engaging directly with the governor's office and submitting a formal veto request, alongside CHLA’s veto request, outlining the significant guest privacy, operational, public safety, and legal concerns the measure posed for hotel owners and operators. AHLA argued that the bill would have created a dangerous precedent by requiring hotels to disclose information related to specific categories of guests or activities occurring at their properties.