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May 27, 2026

Last week, the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee approved a “highway bill” known as H.R. 8870, the Building Unrivaled Infrastructure and Long-term Development for America's 250th (BUILD America 250) Act, which would reauthorize federal surface transportation programs.

Dig Deeper: IFA supported the bill, which would enhance modern infrastructure essential to franchise businesses nationwide, with a proposed $580 billion, five-year surface transportation reauthorization that addresses key operational and supply chain challenges for local operators.

What’s Next: The bill now heads to the full House for consideration, and Congress will need to produce a final agreement ahead of a September 30 deadline to reauthorize the expiring federal transportation law.

IFA is pleased that New Jersey finalized clear regulations under its “ABC Test” for determining independent contractor status in the state, effective October 2026.

Why It Matters: New Jersey’s new independent contractor standard provides for a clear test for franchise businesses, thanks to IFA advocacy securing language from the Department of Labor that will protect franchisor-provided technology and mobile and service-based franchise models. 

Dig Deeper: IFA submitted comments on the proposal in August 2025.

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The FTC is exploring whether to extend its Fees Rule to online food delivery platforms, which could lead to prohibitive new compliance costs on franchised restaurant apps — not just third-party services like DoorDash and Grubhub.

Why It Matters: In official comments submitted last week, IFA urged the FTC to halt the rulemaking entirely, and if it proceeds, to limit any rule strictly to third-party delivery platforms, noting that six of the seven enforcement actions the FTC itself cited were against third-party providers, not restaurants.

What’s Next: IFA is also calling for full federal preemption of the existing state patchwork of junk fee laws, a checkout-stage safe harbor for delivery fee disclosures, and a rigorous small business impact analysis before any rule is formally proposed.

HBCUs Funding Bill Introduced

Last week, the IGNITE HBCU Excellence Act (Institutional Grants for New Infrastructure, Technology, and Education for HBCU Excellence Act) was formally reintroduced in both chambers of Congress. 

Why It Matters: Led by Reps. Alma Adams (D-NC) and French Hill (R-AR) in the House (H.R. 8791), and Sens. Tim Scott (R-SC) and Chris Coons (D-Del.) in the Senate — the bill is being positioned as a historic, transformational investment to address the estimated $13 billion infrastructure and deferred maintenance deficit across historically Black colleges and universities.

What’s Next: IFA expressed support for the bill by noting how franchises play an outsized role in generating wealth creation for underrepresented people from all backgrounds.

Join IFA in Washington This September

There’s never been a more historic bill for franchising than the American Franchise Act (AFA), and there’s never been a more important time for you and your colleagues to join IFA in Washington, DC this September at the IFA26 Advocacy Summit to get the bill passed through Congress!

Why It Matters: This year’s Advocacy Summit will allow you to meet your congressional lawmakers and push for passage of the AFA, which will provide clear federal labor rules to protect both your business and the next generation of franchising entrepreneurs.

What’s Next: Registration is open! Contact IFA’s Erica Farage with any questions.