Over the past year there have been many proposed changes and
amendments to the laws regarding lobbying in NH. In June legislators
voted to move forward on some of the proposed changes but not on
others. Join us as we take a look at this complicated issue. This
session will provide a forum in which to explore: What are the implications of the June legislative action? Who needs to register as a lobbyist under the NH law? Can nonprofit executives and board members serve on state commissions?
Learn more and register...
With all the challenges of running and working for a nonprofit, it
might feel daunting to also take on advocating for your cause. You may think that advocacy means lobbying, and while that is one
important piece, there is so much more to the field of advocacy. Come learn how developing your advocacy skills and the capacity of
your board and staff to advocate can bring a whole new positive
dimension to your work and to your organization.
Learn more and register for Part I...Learn more and register for Part II...
Jump into voter engagement with NonprofitVOTE.org's FREE Nonprofit Voter Engagement Starter Kit! Help your clients and constituents become educated about and involved in the voting process.Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network (NVEN) is dedicated to expanding the role of America’s nonprofits in voting and elections. NVEN works with state nonprofit VOTE initiatives and its national website to provide resources and tools for 501(c)(3) nonprofits to help their communities participate and vote.
Learn more...
NHCN Launches Political Candidates Education ProjectThe
New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits will pilot a national nonprofit
advocacy project this fall which is designed to engage political
candidates in a new dialogue about the vital role the nonprofit sector
plays in everyone’s lives.
Learn more and get involved...
V3 Campaign Launches New WebsiteThe V3 Campaign is now ready to give you unprecedented access to every candidate who seeks your vote. A new feature on the website allows any nonprofit employee, volunteer, funder or friend to--with the push of a button--ask men and women who are running for office to detail how they would partner with and strengthen the sector to achieve their vision for their city, state or the country.
Read more...
New Charitable Volunteer Mileage Bill
Senators Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and John Ensign (R-NV) have introduced the GIVE Act of 2008, “Giving Incentives to Volunteers Everywhere” (S 3429). Of the ten bills introduced on this issue,
NCNA,
Independent Sector,
AARP,
Catholic Charities USA,
the American Red Cross, and
the United Way of America are all endorsing this bill. NCNA actively lobbied for this bill and it offers the best combination of passage (because of the bipartisan sponsorship by key members of the Senate Finance Committee) and overall package of benefits for the sector and the communities we serve: 1) the bill would
raise the charitable mileage deduction from 14 cents to almost 41 cents immediately; 2) it would
make future adjustments to the rate tied to 70% of the standard business mileage rate so we would not have to try to fight this issue every year that gas prices increase; and 3) it would
exclude from any income tax consequence actual mileage reimbursements made to volunteers. These features not only address economic pain being felt in America’s communities, but also recognize the vital role the nonprofit sector plays in coordinating volunteer efforts to meet human needs.
Related article
IRS Issues Memorandum on Examinations of Internet Political Activity
A
memorandum from the Director, Exempt Organizations Examinations, describes how the IRS will analyze political campaign activity issues involving websites of section 501(c)(3) organizations.
On-Line Resources - Political Campaign Intervention by 501(c)(3) Organizations
Do you know what constitutes political campaign intervention? Find
on-line educational resources about the prohibition on political campaign intervention by 501(c)(3) organizations on the Charities and Nonprofits pages of IRS.gov.
Bills Introduced to Raise Charitable Mileage RateCurrent rate is 14 cents compared to business rate of 58.5 centsTwo bills, HR 2020 and HR 1827, seeking to set the charitable mileage deduction at the same variable rate as business communities’ rate , are before the House Ways and Means Committee, while yet another has been introduced (HR 6283). Meanwhile, two others have been introduced in the Senate and referred to the Finance Committee (S3032 and S403).
Learn ways that you can take action on this issue...
New Principles and Practices for Public Interest Lobbying ReleasedWashington, DC – The Center for Lobbying in the Public Interest (CLPI) released today the newly developed
Smart and Ethical Principles and Practices for Public Interest Lobbying. The four principles and 17 practices serve as a benchmarking tool nonprofits can use to assess their current lobbying work and set aspirations for their future lobbying efforts. The result of an 18-month, collaborative development process with a group of nonprofit leaders and funding by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, the principles and practices are CLPI’s response to the need for nonprofits to claim public interest lobbying as an honorable and effective strategy for advancing their missions.
Read more...
IRS Makes Script of Recent Phone Forum on Election Year Rules Available
Lobbying Bill Defeated Despite concerted efforts by the nonprofit community to urge legislators to support Senate Bill 482 - which would allow nonprofit volunteers, board members and executives to serve on state committees and commissions without having to register as a lobbyist - the House voted 142 to 204 June 4th to reject the Conference Committees' report - thus killing the bill. The House floor debate focused on possible unethical conduct by lawyers serving on commissions when they have lobbyist colleagues, not on the fact that this would impact the nonprofit sector. The NH Center for Nonprofits will be preparing a seminar on the implications of this action for later this year.
Read more...Voice for Health - Public Policy Tracking Sheet -
Updated 6-13-2008
Conference Committee to Meet on SB482
On May 21, the full Senate non-concurred with the House amendment for SB482 (relative to lobbyist registration) and requested a Committee of Conference. The Conference Committee meeting is scheduled on May 27 at 4 p.m. in the State House Room 103. Stay tuned for more details.
Nonprofit Leaders Witness Governor’s Signing of NH HealthFirst
On Monday, May 19, NHCN Executive Director Mary Ellen Jackson and
many other nonprofit leaders witnessed Governor John Lynch signing the
New Hampshire HealthFirst bill into law, a new initiative aimed at helping
small businesses better afford health insurance for their workers. The new health coverage benefit is scheduled to be offered by October 1, 2009.
Governor Signs NH HealthFirst New Law Will Provide More Affordable Health Insurance Alternatives to Small Businesses Monday, May 19th, Governor John Lynch signed into law New Hampshire HealthFirst, a new initiative aimed at helping small businesses better afford health insurance for their workers. It will require major insurance carriers to offer a standard wellness plan for businesses with up to 50 employees. Premium costs will be controlled by focusing on prevention, managing chronic conditions and promoting best practices.
Read more...
Lobbying Law Update: House Passed SB482On May 15th The House passed Senate Bill 482 which now includes some of the the amendments formerly known as HB 91. It will amend the lobbyist registration law as follows:
1.) Quarterly lobbyist reports instead of monthly report are now required;
2.) Service on task forces and commissions is exempt from lobbying
3.) Research provided to the legislature is exempt from lobbying
4.) Public testimony is exempt from lobbying.
The House passed a floor amendment introduced by Rep. James Splaine of Portsmouth to maintain the prohibition in current law on lobbyists and their colleagues from serving on task forces and commissions that are not subject to the right to know law.
The bill now heads back to the full Senate for a concurrence vote on the amended version.
Stay tuned for more details.
Voice for Health - Public Policy Tracking Sheet -
Updated 5-18-2008
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Election Activities Resources
The Nonprofit Voter Engagement Network's 2006 edition of Nonprofits, Voting and Elections: A Guide for 501(c)(3) Organizations
helps charities understand both the prohibition against partisan
election activities and, at the same time, the range of permissible
activities that encourage voter participation on a non-partisan basis.
The new guide highlights the 10 most common activities 501(c)(3)s may
undertake with their staff, boards and constituencies – from voter
registration and voter education to getting out the vote and helping
their communities vote on Election Day.
http://www.nonprofitvote.org/
The ban on political campaign activity by charities and churches was
created by Congress 52 years ago. The Internal Revenue Service
administers the tax laws written by Congress and has enforcement
authority over tax-exempt organizations. The IRS Charities, Churches and Politics web site page
provides information on the political campaign activity ban and the
latest IRS reports regarding its adminstration of this congressional
ban.
http://www.irs.gov/newsroom/article/0,,id=161131,00.html
Public Policy - "The set of decisions that we make as a society about how we will care for one another, our communities and the land" -Marcia Avner, Minnesota Council of Nonprofits