State Will Pay with IOUs (6/30/09)

The state controller's office says it will begin issuing IOUs on July 2 for the first time since 1992 if the governor and Legislature haven't come up with a budget fix.Many nonprofits with state contracts will be impacted. Details: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/06/30/BUT618FP50.DTL

Court Upholds Health Care Budget Cuts 6/29/09

A judge’s ruling allowing the state to eliminate “optional” Medi-Cal benefits for federally qualified health centers and rural health centers nullifies gains made by clinics as part of the federal economic stimulus package and will result in loss of nearly $130 million in services, including adult dental, acupuncture, audiology and speech therapy, chiropractic, optometry and optician, podiatry and psychology. For details: http://www.pressdemocrat.com/article/20090628/articles/906289973

Governor’s Workers Comp. Proposal May Drive Up Rates 6/26/09

The governor wants to help reduce the state’s $24-billion budget deficit by giving private insurers a chance to buy about half of customers' policies at the State Compensation Insurance Fund, which covers175,000 nonprofits and small businesses. Opponents fear that selling the nonprofit company's least risky policies could cause the price of workers' comp coverage to skyrocket for employers that stay with State Fund. Details: http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-statefund25-2009jun25,0,5797085.story

Budget Fix Fails; IOUs Expected Next Week 6/25/09

State lawmakers have rejected a budget plan intended to tame California's $24-billion deficit. In response, Controller John Chiang announced that he would have to start paying many of the state's bills with IOUs on July 2 if a budget package is not passed by then. Details: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-budget25-2009jun25,0,1060005.story

Health Care Reform Agreement Closer 6/25/09

US Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus announced today that his panel was close to producing a health-care reform bill: Details: http://voices.washingtonpost.com/health-care-reform/?wpisrc=newsletter&wpisrc=newsletter&wpisrc=newsletter

Budget Vote Expected this Week 6/22/09

The State Legislature is expected to vote this week on plans to fix a cumulative $24 billion hole in the budget they already approved last February for the coming fiscal year, and the current year ending June 30. A 10-member, two-house legislative committee (three Democrats and two Republicans from each house) took about a month to overhaul the governor's latest budget proposal released last month.

For highlights of the differences between the governor and the conference committee, see http://www.sacbee.com/capitolandcalifornia/story/1965211.html.

For a detailed comparison, see http://www.cbp.org/.

Proposals in the works to overhaul taxes and restructure state government.
Radical new blueprints for revenue-generation and fixing the California Constitution are being circulated in Sacramento.

To find out more about tax plans, see http://www.sacbee.com/walters/story/1959553.html.

To find out more about the campaign for a Constitutional Convention: http://www.newsreview.com/sacramento/content?oid=1015956.

Grand Jury Recommends Nonprofit Support

A just-released Nevada County Grand Jury survey found “a sharp increase in the number of people applying for short-term assistance with food and shelter. Every agency interviewed indicated that its resources are stretched to the limit..... There is a waiting period to enter the county’s social service system to receive aid. Non-profit agencies provide prompt and ongoing support....These organizations are in need of continued and increased community support.”

For the full report: http://court.co.nevada.ca.us/documents/gjreports/0809-HEVHomelessnessinNevada.pdf

Today! White House Conference Call on Service/Volunteerism 6/17/09

Please join us TODAY, Wednesday, June 17th at 3:00pm EST for a conference call with Obama administration officials regarding the launch of United We Serve, Presdient Obama's call to service that was just launched today.

Title: Service Call *use this in lieu of a passcode*
Participant: (800) 230-1766
Please RSVP to public@who.eop.gov <mailto:public@who.eop.gov>

New Fundraising Opportunity 6/11/09

By linking a number of sites electronically, remote caller bingo allows a large number of people to play at the same time. Recently legalized by legislation co-sponsored by CAN, remote caller is intended to generate larger prize pools and revive interest in charity bingo, which has been a source of significant income for thousands of nonprofits for generations. Further information is available from the California Gambling Control Commission ( http://www.cgcc.ca.gov/). And if you think you might use remote caller bingo, please let us know by contacting CAN Public Policy Director Ken Larsen klarsen@Canonprofits.org so that we can track the impact of this fundraising tool and assist you with any problems you may experience.