AEA State-by-State High-Tech Lobbying Effort Adds New Issue Tracking Program.

Business Editors, High-Tech Writers

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 1, 2000

The American Electronics Association (AEA) said today that it is adding to its Multistate policy advocacy program a spectrum of new on-line lobbying tools, including state-by-state tracking of key government issues impacting the high-tech industry.

AEA's Multistates program provides member companies with the information and resources to successfully lobby an increasing number of state-level issues. The new tracking service, which will be provided by the Virginia-based firm of MultiState Associates, Inc., will give AEA members the ability to track major legislative activity in all 50 state capitals.

AEA President and CEO William T. Archey, said, "As state governments increasingly emerge as the frontline of activity on major high-tech issues, it is critical that AEA be able to evaluate their significance and respond accordingly. Our Multistate program, which is becoming a major lobbying force within the industry, will be significantly enhanced by the addition of this new service."

AEA recently revitalized its Multistate program because of the intense interest on the part of its member companies in monitoring major legislative developments at the state level. The rapidly expanding Multistate program leverages the involvement of the association's resources in 18 council locations across the country to provide high technology companies with a prominent voice in state legislatures.

According to Archey, "Our Multistate program gives AEA something that no other high tech trade association can provide. It offers an effective, influential voice in key state legislatures combined with our significant capability in representing the technology industry at the federal level."

The new tracking service gives AEA policy operations and member companies a current window on state legislative activities. This will permit rapid response to fast moving developments on issues such as Internet taxation, Internet privacy, environmental regulations, and workforce needs for the growing high technology industry.

In addition to state-by-state legislative and regulatory monitoring, the new tools include issue management, research, marketing to state and local governments and administrative lobbying.

The new AEA benefit is a further commitment to both large and small companies that the organization's Multistates program will have all of the necessary tools for industry advocacy at the state levels. For more information on AEA's Multistate program, call Mark Albertson at 408/987-4244 or Teresa Casazza at 916/443-9070.

The American Electronics Association is the nation's largest high-tech trade group, representing more than 3,000 U.S.-based technology companies. Membership spans the industry product and service spectrum, from semiconductors and software to computers, Internet and telecommunications systems and services. With 17 regional U.S. councils and offices in Brussels, Tokyo and Beijing, AEA offers a unique global policy grassroots capability and a wide portfolio of valuable business services and products for the high-tech industry. For 57 years, AEA has been the accepted voice of the U.S. technology community.