Policy Update, December 18, 2015

Thank you for your interest and support. The Indiana Association of United Ways usually provides its Policy Update on "odd Fridays" (1st, 3rd and 5th Fridays). Contact us if you have any questions or comments about content (past, present or desired for the future).

Jenna Strick and Roger Frick high five after taking a selfie at his retirement reception. photo by L.Olive

Roger's last day...

Today marks the last day for IaUW's retiring president Roger Frick. The rush of the fall meetings and pre-holiday meetings has not allowed us to prepare fully for this day.

Last Thursday, former and current board chairs Kathy Ertel and Rick Davis presented Roger with a

Sagamore of the Wabash, one of the highest awards issued by the Governor. Roger has been a sage, mentor and advisor to volunteers, donors and staff of nonprofits in Indiana and around the country. Roger instills his core values of service, integrity, volunteerism, gratitude and positivity in all he does.

Receiving the Sagamore of the Wabash

We wish Roger and his family the very best in new adventures. We are extraordinarily grateful for his passion for service, long hours in the office and on the road, program and policy chats and an unwavering commitment to helping our members serve their communities.

If you missed the reception, feel free to email Roger a note.

2-min Update from D.C

Thanks to United Way Worldwide for this timely update provided late on 12/17.

Learn about three issues important to United Ways and many of our nonprofit partners:

* Every Student Succeeds Act;

* Proposed IRS Rule; and

* Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act.

Let's thank Congress!

Maureen Noe, Lucinda Nord, Iverne Russell and

Roger Frick celebrate and say,

Thank You, Congress, for #WorkingFamilyCredits!

Thank you to all the advocates who reached out to members of Congress about the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and Child Tax Credit (CTC).

TAX PACKAGE - A compromise tax extender package called Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 (PATH) makes permanent provisions for EITC, CTC and the IRA Charitable Rollover, priorities for United Ways. Numerous business tax breaks were extended temporarily or made permanent (including the Medical Device Tax). See abbreviated summary of the many provisions below.

EDUCATION - Congress passed and the President signed the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), which reauthorizes the main K-12 education law and revises many provisions of what was known as No Child Left Behind. Important to many of our members, the ESSA preserves Promise Neighborhoods, Full Service Community Schools and 21st Century Community Learning Centers (which funds afterschool programs). The law reduces some federal requirements and returns control to states and locals, which may help Indiana legislators make the case to revise ISTEP and processes in the upcoming short session. The law also adds non-academic indicators in accountability systems, such as school safety and student and educator engagement.

Understanding the PATH Act

The Protecting Americans from Tax Hikes Act of 2015 (PATH) includes numerous permanent and temporary provisions in the following areas:

tax relief for families and individuals;
incentives for charitable giving;
incentives for growth, jobs, investment and innovation;
incentives for real estate investment;
incentives for energy production and conservation;
program integrity measures to reduce errors and fraud (note that this may alter some tax preparation policies and practices);
incentives for families with specific populations (veterans, people with disabilities, etc.);
real estate investment trusts;
IRS responsibilities and reforms;
U.S. Tax Court administration; and
U.S. trade.

Review the 20-page summary from the Ways and Means Committee. An unlikely pairing of some Tea Party Republicans and Democrats criticized the bill for its total cost of tax breaks without paying for them. However, it was likely that policymakers would have extended most business provisions temporarily. This compromise places working family tax credits on a more equal playing field with business credits--16 million working families don't need to worry that they will lose critical income or work supports. Specifically,

EITC is increased temporarily for families with three or more children and the marriage penalty has been reduced, and
Lower-income parents will be able to claim the Child Tax Credit.

The proposed overtime rule is still only a proposed rule.

Caution! We are aware that certain consulting and training firms are aggressively marketing workshops and consulting services related to the overtime rules proposed by the U.S. Department of Labor earlier this year.

The proposed rule to raise the salary threshold for overtime eligibility to $50,440 is concerning, as it could adversely impact nonprofits. However, the rule-making is a slow process, and they received over 293,000 comments. The Office of Management and Budget estimated that a final rule will likely not come out until summer 2016. We anticipate there might be changes; we will aim to keep you informed.

Meeting your legislators in your community.

Check out our Third House Calendar.

The Indiana General Assembly will convene for the short session on January 5. Legislators often offer a preview, progress report or summary at "Third House" sessions or "meet your legislator" sessions.

We at Indiana Association of United Ways work to maintain the calendar of Third House meetings throughout the state. Check the calendar for a date and location near you. The first weeks of January have sessions in Delaware, Elkhart, Hamilton, Monroe, St. Joseph, Tippecanoe and Vanderburgh counties.

How do you volunteer?

Nearly 1.3 million Hoosiers volunteered in 2014, contributing 26.6 hours of service per capita. According to the Volunteering and Civic Life in America 2015 report by the Corporation for National and Community Service, Indianapolis ranks 10th among cities, and Indiana ranks 24th in the U.S.

As you plan your 2016 calendar, is volunteering a part of your regular schedule? Pick a favorite issue, activity or population to contribute a part of yourself in the new year.

Not sure where to volunteer? Free tax preparation, tutoring and mentoring programs are always looking for new volunteers. Call 2-1-1 to find a volunteer program in your area.

Complete this survey about local syringe exchange efforts

You are invited to participate in a study about local syringe exchange and other harm reduction efforts across Indiana. The research is conducted by Dr. Carrie Lawrence of Project Cultivate at the IU School of Public Health's Rural Center for AIDS/STD Prevention. Whether you work in addictions treatment, community planning or human services, please complete the 10-minute survey now. Or forward this letter of invitation to your partners.

Why is this important? Indiana enacted the syringe exchange program legislation earlier this year in response to the HIV and Hepatitis C outbreak in Scott County. The legislation allows county leaders to request the program if they have high rates of intravenous drug use, overdoses or Hep-C. The survey aims to help communities assess and plan effective public health response.

See a map of Syringe Access Programming at right or download the document.

IaUW Public Policy

IaUW is a nonpartisan organization that works to advance policy principles and compromise solutions for the common good. We focus on policies that are aligned with the impact work in local communities conducted by our 61 United Ways and United Funds.

Education, so that children are prepared for and succeed in school;
Income/Financial Stability, so that individuals and families may achieve and sustain financial stability;
Health, so that individuals may access quality healthcare; and
Strong Communities, where a statewide 2-1-1 network and a strong charitable sector help communities thrive.

Our policy priorities are developed and guided by our Public Policy Committee and our IaUW members, based on their work in Hoosier communities.

Review our public policy documents created during the 2015 session of the Indiana General Assembly, including fact sheets, testimony and bill summaries. See our quick summary based on IaUW priorities.

Frequently Requested Links / Documents

iauw.org - Learn about the Indiana Association of United Ways, current trainings and conferences and the ways we support local United Ways/Funds, partners and communities.

IaUW Policy / Advocacy info - Review and download IaUW Policy Priorities, Third House calendar, bill lists, fact sheets, talking points and testimony.

Advocacy Action Center - Contact your member of Congress or State Legislator, provided through our partnership with United Way Worldwide.

IaUW Policy Update Archive - Read prior issues, special articles and key documents produced by IaUW related to public policy and advocacy.

Community Report Card - Check out key indicators in Education, Income and Health for your neighborhood, county or region.

IN211.org - Search for human service information available through the referral database or by calling 2-1-1. Download reports about resources, needs, gaps and trends from Indiana 211 Partnership.

NRN Calendar - Register for high-quality and affordable training for nonprofit staff and volunteers by the Indiana Nonprofit Resource Network.

Funding and Other Opportunities - Explore current requests for proposals, funding and recognition opportunities.

Indiana General Assembly

- Check the hearing or floor schedule, watch a live or recorded hearing or floor session and look up your legislators.

Library of Congress

- Look up bills introduced in Congress. Note that the THOMAS site will be maintained through 2014 and fully replaced by Congress.gov.