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Action Required: Help DMANF Stop the California Warning Label Bill

May 25th, 2016 · Nonprofit

Please help the DMANF stop California Assembly Bill 2855 that requires any nonprofit raising funds in California to place on its home page a “prominent link” to the California Attorney General’s website. If passed, AB 2855 would impose millions of dollars in new compliance costs on nonprofits and diminish the impact of charitable and philanthropic missions. It would set a new precedent allowing the Attorney General to force charities to provide government information from the state, imposing speech and diverting from mission, which we believe is potentially unconstitutional.

What can you do to help? 

Please immediately contact the following: Speaker of the Assembly Anthony Rendon at 916.319.2063; and Assembly Appropriations Chair Lorena Gonzalez at 916.319.2080 and other Members of the California Assembly. After identifying your nonprofit organization, urge them:

“DO NOT REMOVE AB 2855 from the Appropriations Committee’s Suspense File”
 
Background

California Assembly Bill 2855 is poised for action in the Assembly Appropriations Committee next week. The DMANF believes the best chance to stop this bill is persuading the Appropriations Committee to leave AB 2855 on the “Suspense File” preventing its advancement through the legislative process. 

What the Bill Would Do

Each nonprofit raising funds in California, whether or not exempt from registration and reporting requirements, would be required to place a “prominent link” to the California AG’s website on the home page of any website soliciting contributions. It would also have to include such a link on “any document produced ... for solicitation” (however wide-ranging that may become).

Phone Call Guidance

Below are scripts to utilize in your calls and emails. To assure that communications are effective, they must be made no later than noon PACIFIC time on Wednesday, May 25.  

To Appropriations Chair Lorena Gonzalez:

“Hello.  I am [NAME], representing [ORGANIZATION NAME, LOCATION], calling to register opposition to AB 2855, a bill which would seriously and unnecessarily burden nonprofit charities like [ORGANIZATION NAME]. Please DO NOT REMOVE AB 2855 from the Appropriations Committee’s Suspense File.”

To all Assembly Speaker Rendon: 

“Hello. I am [NAME], representing [ORGANIZATION NAME, LOCATION], calling to register opposition to AB 2855, a bill which would seriously and unnecessarily burden nonprofit charities like [ORGANIZATION NAME]. Please urge Appropriations Chair Gonzalez NOT TO REMOVE AB 2855 from the Appropriations Committee’s Suspense File.”

To all other members of the California Assembly: 

“Hello. I am [NAME], representing [ORGANIZATION NAME, LOCATION], calling to register opposition to AB 2855, a bill which would seriously and unnecessarily burden nonprofit charities like [ORGANIZATION NAME]. Please notify Assembly Appropriations Chair Gonzalez and Assembly Speaker Rendon and urge them NOT TO REMOVE AB 2855 from the Appropriations Committee’s Suspense File. If the bill comes to vote in the Assembly, please vote NO.”

We appreciate your immediate action to help us stop this bill. Should you have any questions, please contact DMA’s Chris Oswald. We will continue to keep you apprised of developments should the bill advance.

Thank you for helping DMANF help you!