The following update provides a snapshot of work taking place on United Way of North Carolina's Advocacy Agenda. Work in the legislature at both the State and Federal level is fast paced, so please keep in mind that this information is provided at the date indicated below and is subject to change. We will make every attempt to keep the information up to date. If you have any questions, please contact Jill Cox at jcox@unitedwaync.org or 919-834-5200.
Resources: 2010 UWW Advocacy Handbook
United Way of North Carolina 2010 Issue Briefs: Education, Income, What Nonprofits Can and Can't Do In An Election Year
The next United Way of North Carolina Public Policy Committee Meeting will be held on September 23 at the United Way of Greater High Point from 10:30 - 1:30.
INCOME –Advocacy efforts that provide stable affordable housing and assets for long-term stability.
- UWNC will promote increased savings and greater access to banking products.
United Way of North Carolina participated in the Financial Literacy Month kickoff at the General Assembly and used that as an opportunity to highlight North Carolina SAVES.
- UWNC will advocate for additional resources to provide outreach to those eligible for the newly enacted NC State EITC.
- UWNC will advocate for funding the 5% EITC passed in the short-session.
The Governor’s budget provided for an increase in the EITC from 5 to 6.5%. The Senate and House budgets did not address EITC. The final budget did not increase the EITC.
- UWNC will advocate for the development of a Financial Literacy Council to develop statewide financial literacy goals and benchmarks and monitor implementation and curriculum development of financial education in the K-12 school system.
The financial literacy bill was ratified by the Governor on June 30, 2009.
- UWNC will advocate for $50 million in recurring funding for the NC Housing Trust Fund.
The state budget maintained recurring funding of $10 million for the Housing Trust Fund. Funding for the Housing 400 initiative was lost for a loss of nearly $6 million dollars.
Strengthening the Nonprofit Sector – Advocacy efforts that build a strong nonprofit sector and expand 2-1-1
- UWNC will advocate for passage of the Calling for 2-1-1 Act in both the House of Representatives and the US Senate.
HR 211 has four NC Sponsors Congressmen McIntyre, Miller, Price and Shuler. Senator Hagan signed on to S211 on April 24. We have asked Senator Burr to send a Dear NC Colleague letter to the NC Congressional Delegation to encourage them to sign on the The Calling for 2-1-1 Act as a co-sponsor. It looks like the Senate bill may actually move forward for a vote before the August recess.
- UWNC will support an increase in the mileage deduction for nonprofit volunteers.
HR 524/S243 have both been entered.
- UWNC will advocate for a permanent IRA charitable rollover.
HR 1250 has been entered in the House of Representatives. A companions bill has not been entered in the Senate yet.
Of greater concern is the Obama administrations budget outline that originally provided for a cap on the deduction for charitable giving. In a recent meeting with senior White House officials, the administration has yet to drop this idea, but for all intents and purposes both the House and Senate have sent loud messages that they will not support this concept in the current budget year.
- UWNC will advocate for improved transparency in the legislative process including open public access to all committee hearing and strict adherence to the existing open meeting laws.
Open Meetings --Gov. Beverly Perdue has sent a letter to her appointees on state boards and commissions reminding them that they must comply with the Open Meetings law. In the letter dated April 16th, Perdue wrote that she had promised that her administration will operate “under the umbrella of openness.” "I expect every state board and commission to set the same standard of openness and transparency and to fully comply with North Carolina's Open Meetings Act," Perdue said. Included with the letter was a question and answer sheet on the Open Meetings Law prepared by the office of Attorney General Roy Cooper.
The Serve America Act (Passes – Public Law No: 111-13) would improve and expand national and community service programs and strengthen the infrastructure for volunteerism within the nonprofit community. The bill would triple the number of service volunteers from 75,000 to 250,000 and expand service opportunities to all stages of life, focusing on such targeted areas as veterans services, the environment, disaster relief, and arts education. S. 277 would also create a nationwide community-based infrastructure fund to leverage investments in service and set up a volunteer generation fund to help build the capacity of nonprofits to coordinate, train and manage volunteers.
Education -- Advocacy efforts that help prepare a child for success in school resulting in academic completion
- UWNC will seek a reduction in the child care subsidy waiting list, while seeking an increase in the rates paid to child care providers.
The final state budget decreased subsidy funding by more than $15 million. Rates were not addressed.
- UWNC will seek support for consistent/standardized information reporting among school districts for accurate, good data to compare completion rates and retention rates, and identify chronically truant students.
- UWNC will support implementation of an evaluation process to determine the effectiveness of existing alternative learning environments for suspended and expelled students to create best practices that can be modeled statewide.
H 218: Parent & Student Educational Involvement Act passed the House land was referred to the Senate Education/Higher Education Committee. This bill would require that parents receive notice when a child is recommended for long-term suspension or expulsion, rather than after the term of suspension or expulsion has already begun.
Federal Budget Update
State Budget Update
The state budget passed on August 6, 2009. The short look at the budget reveals the following: the budget is based on 40% cuts ($2 billion), 30% Federal Recovery money (this money runs out after 2011), 8% higher fees, and 22% higher taxes. – HHS cuts made up about 30% of the total cuts plus 10% cut to Public Education and 16% cut to Juvenile Justice.
Read the Budget here: http://ncleg.net/Sessions/2009/Bills/Senate/PDF/S202v7.pdf
Read the Money report here: http://ncleg.net/sessions/2009/budget/2009/JointConferenceCommitteeReport_SB202_2009_08_03.pdf
Revised Budget and Revenue Outlook presented on May 6, 2009
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