House Advances Moul Bill to Ease Burden on Charities
HARRISBURG – By a unanimous vote, the House today advanced legislation sponsored by Rep. Dan Moul (R-Adams) that would ease the regulatory and financial burden on volunteer charitable organizations by expanding the exemption on charities required to register with the state.
Current law requires charitable organizations that solicit contributions to annually register with the Department of State’s Bureau of Charitable Organizations unless they are exempted from registration under the Solicitation of Funds for Charitable Purposes Act. However, registration triggers other requirements, such as having to file a financial report, and depending on the level of fundraising contributions, these organizations may have the added burden of having to get their financial report independently audited, reviewed or compiled by a public accountant.
House Bill 1940 would amend state law to expand the exemption from registration to veterans’ groups, volunteer fire companies, ambulance and rescue squads and their auxiliaries, only if all fundraising activities are carried on by organization members or volunteers and not professional fundraisers.
“Putting together a formal financial report is a burden and the cost of paying for a formal audit or review by a public accountant can easily run into several thousands of dollars,” said Moul. “My bill would relieve this onerous bureaucratic, regulatory and costly financial mandate from the backs of these volunteer charitable organizations.”
Moul’s bill now goes to the Senate for consideration.
Representative Dan Moul
91st District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: Donna Pinkham
dpinkham@pahousegop.com
RepMoul.com