124th Maine Legislature

The long session of the two session 124th Legislature has adjourned. We followed a number of bills that had potential impact on the nonprofit community. View the summary list here. Please contact Brenda Peluso if you are planning action on a carried-over bill or a new bill in the 2nd session of the 124th.

Current Issues & Campaigns

American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009
Many aspects of this act, also known as the economic stimulus package, will have a direct or indirect effect on nonprofits being able to carry out their mission and maintain their level of services as they navigate these hard economic times.

Estate Tax
The federal estate tax is a tax on the transfer of large amounts of assets (the estate) from a deceased individual to their heirs. Estate tax reform is important to Maine nonprofits because of the substantial incentives the tax provides for charitable giving.

Charitable Giving Incentives/IRA Rollover
The tax treatment of charitable contributions has a significant effect on charitable giving. While efforts to increase incentives for giving have increased in recent years, much of the legislation is either not permanent or does not address all forms of charitable giving.

Accountability
As entities that serve the public, nonprofits have an ethical obligation to conduct their activities in a way that is accountable and transparent to their constituents. Unfortunately, some nonprofits and nonprofit employees do not comply with this principle, hurting the reputation of the sector as a whole.

Volunteer Mileage Reimbursement and Deduction
A charity’s ability to reimburse volunteers for expenses incurred while volunteering plays a huge role in nonprofit organizations’ abilities to recruit and retain volunteers, especially as gas and energy prices continue to soar. MANP believes that Congress should take action to exempt reimbursement of mileage from income and raise the volunteer standard deduction to a reasonable rate.

Past Campaigns

TABOR II Referendum
An Act to Provide Tax Relief or TABOR II will be on the November 3, 2009 ballot and would place additional statewide limits on the authority of governmental entities to adopt budgets or enact tax changes that exceed certain limits established by formula in the TABOR II initiative.  MANP is urging a No Vote on this initiative because its passage would have a negative impact on the nonprofit sector and the people it serves.

Automobile Excise Tax Referendum
An Act to Decrease the Automobile Excise Tax will be on the November 3, 2009 ballot and decreases the excise tax imposed on motor vehicles.  MANP is urging a No Vote on this initiative because its passage would have a significant impact on municipal budgets at a time when local governments are already struggling to meet infrastructure needs.  This will increase friction between municipal officials and nonprofit property owners, who are legitimately exempt from property taxes.

2006 Anti-TABOR Ballot Intiative
During the Summer and Fall of 2006, MANP advocated against the passage of Ballot Question #1. Explore the many resources connected to this campaign.

Nonprofit Capacity Building Initiative (NCBI)
The government has not established an entity to support the development and effectiveness of the nonprofit sector. The Small Business Administration provides such support to local business, the Government Accountability Office ensures the effectiveness of government programs, but there is no comparable government program for nonprofits.