FEDERAL
National Inquiry on Staffing Shortages
Our colleagues at the National Council of Nonprofits have asked members if nonprofits are continuing to see major staffing shortages, and whether it would be helpful to try and collect national data on the issue. Please let us know what your organization and/or subsector is seeing by emailing Jan Fisher at jfisher@npwestchester.org.
Childcare
Jessica Mendieta from the National Council of Nonprofits wrote a blog post focused on challenges to accessing affordable childcare, its impact on nonprofits, and policy proposals in various states and localities: Expanding Access to Affordable Child Care, Jessica Mendieta, Nonprofit Essentials, Feb. 15, 2023.
Racial Equity - Executive Order:
Tax Code and Racial Inequity
The Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center issued a detailed study of the tax code and its impact on race. The study found itemized deductions disproportionately benefit White taxpayers over Black and Hispanic taxpayers. The tax code can widen existing racial income and wealth inequalities because of long-standing disparities in housing, education, and employment. See the report at, A New Approach for Estimating the Impact of Tax Policies by Race and Ethnicity, Tax Policy Center, Feb. 10, 2023.
Initial Proposals for Updating OMB’s Race and Ethnicity Statistical Standards
The federal Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued a notice on January 27, 2023 requesting comments on proposals that would update the federal government’s race and ethnicity statistical standards. The initial proposals from the Federal Interagency Technical Working Group on Race and Ethnicity Standards ask whether race and ethnicity information should be combined into one question; a Middle Eastern and North African category should be added to the United States federal surveys and censuses; what term should be used for people who identify with groups that span national borders; changes to how Hispanic individuals are able to self-identify; and how to collect data related to descent from enslaved peoples originally from the African continent. The newly proposed race and ethnicity standards would be the first changes since 1997. Public comments are due on April 12, 2023.
Student Loan Litigation
On February 28, the U.S. Supreme Court will heard oral arguments in two cases challenging the authority of President Biden to “cancel” student debt. While important to borrowers, neither case concerns the separate law on Public Service Loan Forgiveness through which employees of charitable nonprofits and governments earn forgiveness of their federal student loans in exchange for working in public service for 10 years.
Fact Sheet on Ending of COVID-19 Health and National Emergencies on May 11, 2023
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is planning for the federal Public Health Emergency (PHE) for COVID-19, to expire at the end of the day on May 11, 2023. HHS released a fact sheet on the Department’s transition roadmap. The fact sheet clarifies that access to COVID-19 vaccinations and treatments will generally not be affected. Certain Medicare and Medicaid waivers and broad flexibilities for health care providers will end, as well as full coverage for testing.
Immigration Fee Increase Proposed Rule
On January 4, 2023, the Department of Homeland Security issued a proposed rule to adjust immigration and naturalization benefit request fees charged by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Within the proposals, the cost of applying for temporary work visas could triple (See analysis by the League of American Orchestras, DHS Proposes New Fees: Includes Steep Increases for Artist Visas, Harmful Policy Changes, January 23, 2023 ). The comment period is open until March 6, 2023.
