2023 Lobbying Forms Due on January 21 and 2024 Lobbying Registration (with Much Higher Fees) Now Open

Nonprofits that were registered as lobbyist principals in 2023 (and their staff or contractors who were registered as lobbyists) must file their final quarterly reports with the Secretary of State Lobbying Compliance Division by January 21. Lobbyist principals need to use the special fourth quarter expense reports (available online) that include the cumulative total payments to registered lobbyists for lobbying services for the year. To help you understand the basics of state lobbying laws affecting nonprofits, check out the Center's summary of NC lobbying laws for nonprofits. 

Also, the NC Secretary of State has opened lobbying registration for 2024. Lobbyist principals (i.e. nonprofits that lobby) and lobbyists (i.e. nonprofit employees and contractors who lobby on behalf of nonprofits) must register annually with the Secretary of State. Lobbyists and lobbyist principals must register within a day after they begin lobbying. Thanks (or perhaps no thanks!) to a provision in the state budget, the registration fees for lobbyists and lobbyist principals are each $500 (plus a mandatory $3 electronic filing fee) for 2024, meaning that a nonprofit with a lobbyist must now pay $1,006 in registration fees (plus an additional $503 for each additional registered lobbyist). The Center recognizes that these fees, which are twice as high as last year’s fees and among the highest in the country may be a financial burden for some nonprofits. The Center is advocating for legislation to allow for fee waivers or reductions for some or all 501(c)(3) nonprofits, but legislators cannot make any changes to the fees until the 2024 short session begins this spring.

DHHS Offers Resources to Help Nonprofits Provide Outreach on Medicaid Expansion

Medicaid expansion began in North Carolina last month. According to the new Medicaid expansion dashboard from the NC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), more than 272,000 North Carolinians enrolled in health care through Medicaid expansion last month. DHHS estimates that more than 300,000 additional North Carolinians may be eligible for coverage under Medicaid expansion. Almost all of the potential Medicaid expansion enrollees receive services from nonprofits, so it is important for nonprofit organizations to spread the word about Medicaid expansion eligibility and the application process. DHHS has two new resources to help your nonprofit spread the word:

1. DHHS has launched a new website to help with community outreach on Medicaid expansion. The DHHS website includes basic information on eligibility for Medicaid coverage, details of costs and coverage, and free materials to help nonprofits provide clear and accurate information about Medicaid and Medicaid expansion to their clients and communities.
2. DHHS is offering a free virtual Medicaid expansion town hall meeting on Wednesday, January 10 from 6-7 p.m. The event will stream live from the DHHS Facebook, Twitter and YouTube accounts, where viewers can submit questions. People can also dial into the event by calling 855-756-7520 Ext. 100651#.

Please share this information widely, especially with clients who may now be eligible to apply!

Coming This Spring: Nonprofit Policy Conversations

This spring, the Center will host a series of Nonprofit Policy Conversations around the state to bring together nonprofit leaders and local elected officials (mostly state legislators) to discuss public policy issues that are important to charitable nonprofits and the people and communities they serve. At each of these Nonprofit Policy Conversations, the Center will provide a briefing on trends in the nonprofit sector and potential public policy solutions and challenges for nonprofits in 2024 and beyond. The Nonprofit Policy Conversations also will include discussions about state and federal public policy issues of particular interest to local nonprofits and about ways nonprofits can engage in the 2024 election while remaining nonpartisan. The Center will share dates, locations, and registration information soon.

Center Releases 2024 Public Policy Agenda for NC’s Nonprofit Sector

As a reader of these weekly Nonprofit Policy Updates, you are probably aware that the Center takes positions on – and lobbies on – state and federal public policy issues that affect most or all 501(c)(3) nonprofits in North Carolina. Last month, the Center’s Board of Directors approved the 2024 Public Policy Agenda for North Carolina’s Nonprofit Sector, which describes the Center’s current positions on state and federal public policy issues affecting nonprofits. Many of the public policy solutions and challenges identified on the Center’s 2024 public policy agenda are included because of your input and the input of other nonprofits.

2024 Short Session Scheduled to Begin in April

The NC General Assembly will return to Raleigh for its 2024 short session on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. Legislators’ main priority for the short session will be to make adjustments to the state budget for FY2024-25. However, during the short session, legislators also can take action on a variety of other bills that passed either the House or Senate in 2023 or that affect state taxes or spending. Among the bills eligible for consideration during the short session are legislation to exempt nonprofits from paying sales tax on their purchases and to modernize the NC Nonprofit Corporation Act.

Between now and mid-April, a variety of legislative study and oversight committees will be meeting to review the impact of new laws and the state budget and to make recommendations for legislation to be considered during the 2024 short session. These committee meetings begin next week. The Center will keep you posted on any developments affecting nonprofits in these committee meetings.

IRS Increases Standard Mileage Rate to 67 Cents Per Mile for 2024

Last month, the Internal Revenue Service issued a notice raising the standard business mileage rate to 67 cents per mile for 2024 (up from 65.5 cents per mile for 2023). Many nonprofits use this rate when reimbursing their employees for work-related driving. The volunteer mileage rate – the amount that is tax-deductible when your nonprofit's volunteers drive on behalf of your organization – remains at 14 cents per mile and can only be changed by Congress. The Center continues to advocate for Congress to increase the volunteer mileage rate.

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Nonprofit Policy Update is North Carolina Center for Nonprofits' weekly newsletter of state and federal policy issues that affect all 501(c)(3) nonprofits. Learn about the Center's public policy priorities and agenda, or contact David Heinen, Vice President for Public Policy and Advocacy, for more information.

©2023 North Carolina Center for Nonprofits