Last week, the U.S. House Appropriations Committee approved a funding bill that included an extraneous provision (rider) that essentially blocks enforcement of the Johnson Amendment against houses of worship and their auxiliary organizations. Certain charitable nonprofits would be able to endorse candidates for public office and divert charitable assets to political campaigns if a rider to a federal funding bill is approved by Congress in the coming weeks.

April 17, 2017 – The Nonprofit Coordinating Committee of New York (NPCC) calls on you in the strongest possible terms to block any attempt to repeal or weaken the important provision in Section 501(c)(3) that protects charitable nonprofits, religious institutions, and foundations from the divisiveness and rancor of partisan politics that currently bedevils our country.

In the past few months, we've seen a number of proposals from the new federal administration that would have a significant impact on the nonprofit sector. We, as nonprofits, have the expertise and experience to know how these proposals will affect our day-to-day work, and we must use that expertise to advocate for the solutions we think are most effective.

As we noted in our February e-Newsletter, the US House of Representatives and US Senate have introduced legislation to repeal the ban on partisan activity by 501(c)(3) nonprofits. This legislation would, in effect, allow 501(c)(3) nonprofits to become political organizations, which would turn nonprofits into political operatives.

As we noted in our February e-Newsletter, the US House of Representatives and US Senate have introduced legislation to repeal the ban on partisan activity by 501(c)(3) nonprofits. This legislation would, in effect, allow 501(c)(3) nonprofits to become political organizations, which would turn nonprofits into political operatives.

On Monday March 6, 2017 Lawyers Alliance for New York and the Nonprofit Coordinating Committee (NPCC) filed a lawsuit against the New York State Attorney General’s office challenging a law that unnecessarily discourages contributions to nonprofit organizations.

Source: Overtime Regulations in New York State In Effect as of December 31, 2016

As we reported in New York Nonprofits' October Issue, federal overtime regulations are currently on hold while the U.S. District Court in Texas moves forward with the case.

As we reported in New York Nonprofits' October Issue, federal overtime regulations are currently on hold while the U.S. District Court in Texas moves forward with the case. However, with three days' notice, on December 28, 2016, New York State Department of Labor (NYSDOL) finalized its own overtime rules, increasing salaries for administrative and executive work and the number of workers who will qualify for overtime pay.

Earlier this year, the NYS Governor signed into law, Bill No. A10742/S8160 (the “ethics bill”) which, in relevant part, requires that 501(c)(3)s disclose some of their donor identities if that 501(c)(3) makes in kind or monetary donations to any 501(c)(4) that engages in significant lobbying in NY.  This requirement went into effect on November 22nd.

As you may have heard, a federal Judge has temporarily blocked the implementation of the new Overtime Final Rule, originally set to begin on December 1, 2016. In this case, the Judge found that the Department of Labor exceeded its authority in adding a salary test to the existing duties test when determining eligibility for overtime.