Legislative Watch 1/20/21

2020 Federal Policy Recap

Before we jump into 2021, let's take a look at where we left off in 2020. Below is a brief report on several policy issues from 2020 that impact the nonprofit sector:

1. Executive Order Combating Race and Sex Stereotyping: On December 22, 2020, a federal court ordered the Trump administration to stop enforcing this order, agreeing with nonprofit plaintiffs that the EO "impermissibly chills the exercise of constitutionally protected speech, based on the content and viewpoint of their speech". Many are urging President Biden to rescind this order.

Read more about the nonprofit perspective and an analysis of the case.

2. The 2020 Census: The Census Bureau missed the statutory deadline of December 31 for delivering the 2020 Census to Congress, meaning the Trump administration will not be able to exclude undocumented immigrants or other peoples from the census count, as previously ordered by former President Trump.

Be on the lookout for further actions to help increase the accuracy of the census count in 2021.

3. The Consolidated Appropriations Act: This act extends through 2021 and is an incentive for taxpayers who do not itemize deductions of deducting the first $300 ($600 for couples) of charitable donations from their taxes. Increased limits on deductible charitable contributions for individuals who itemize and for corporations have, too, been extended through 2021.

4. COVID Relief: Click here for updated Nonprofit Provisions in COVID Relief legislation from the National Council of Nonprofits.

Content Credit: National Council of Nonprofits

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Idaho Legislature is Back In Session!

Find the House Committee Agendas here and the Senate Committee Agendas here.

Access live audio/video streaming of sessions here.

To stay up to date on what is happening in the 2021 Legislation and for more information, visit legislature.idaho.gov

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Nonprofit Advocacy in 2021: 4 Best Practices

"Nonprofit Advocacy is all about building relationships with supporters and empowering them to drive your mission forward. And, prioritizing supporter engagement, and how you can empower them is always a good practice if you want to build a solid foundation for long-term and genuine support in 2021" - ​Alfred Johnson

Read the article

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Happening Now in Idaho

• COVID-19 Vaccination Efforts: On January 19, Gov. Little announced an effort to increase available Idaho National Guard personnel to assist in vaccine distribution efforts. The State of Idaho will also offer new COVID-19 Vaccine Capacity, Safety, and Reporting Grants for healthcare providers in efforts to more quickly distribute the vaccine. ​ Read the full press release

• The Future of Emergency Powers: Eight total bills and concurrent resolutions (H0001, H0004, HCR001, HCR002, S1001, S1002, S10003, SCR101) were introduced in the first week of this legislative season aiming at altering executive powers in a state of emergency, potentially altering Idaho's access to federal funds being used to combat the pandemic. More information can be found here.

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Other important information:

• Both first and second draw PPP Loans are now available. Determine your eligibility and find more information here.