Policy Update: Vaccines, Redistricting, Funding the Government, and More
Nonprofit Connect works to keep Members updated on policy changes that affect nonprofits through Policy Updates. These messages provide brief information on what is going on in federal government and policy that may be of interest to the nonprofit community.
Vaccine and Testing Rules Update
- OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard – a federal circuit court has paused the rule and prevented OSHA from implementing it until an additional review and court order can be completed. This rule would force all employers with 100+ employees to ensure their workers are either vaccinated or tested for COVID-19 weekly, if granted an exemption. Learn more.
- Executive Order for Federal Contractors – effective; some states have sued, but action is pending. This order mandates all individuals working with or in connection to a federal contract must be vaccinated. Originally, vaccinations were to be complete by December 8th, but the deadline for all federal contractors to be fully vaccinated was extended to January 18th, 2022. Learn more.
- CMS Interim Final Rule – a US district judge blocked this order in 10 states, including Kansas and Missouri; separately, another judge blocked it in the rest of the county, preventing CMS from enforcing it until the court can resolve legal challenges. This rule would require healthcare agencies that participate in Medicare and Medicaid programs to guarantee all eligible staff are fully vaccinated by January 4th. Impacted agencies include clinics, home health agencies, hospitals, intermediate care and long-term care facilities, and others. Learn more.
Kansas Special Session – New COVID-19 Law
Right before Thanksgiving, the Kansas legislature went into a special session to discuss COVID regulations in the state. The legislature passed HB 2001 with a strong majority, and the Governor approved the bill. This bill makes it so:
- Employers must allow for medical and religious exemptions if they require vaccinations.
- Employees can file for unemployment if terminated or if they quit due to not being vaccinated.
- Employees can file complaints with the Secretary of Labor, who must then investigate the case and can assess penalties. Penalties can up to $10,000 per violation of employers with fewer than 100 employees, and up to $50,000 per violation of employers with 100+ employees.
Local Redistricting – Who Will Represent You?
- Kansas City, MO – The City’s Charter requires that City Council to draw new districts based on the US Census results before the end of the year in which the census is released. That means the city only has until December 31, 2021 to approve new districts governing Council representation. On November 22, the Redistricting Commission voted to recommend a district map to City Council, one that utilizes a horizontal model for drawing districts rather than a vertical model. The Council presentation date is TBD. Learn more.
- Kansas – Kansas lawmakers just finished a second round of town halls across the state to gather public feedback on their redistricting process. Kansas City area events took place yesterday, November 30th. Redistricting must be completed in the second year after the US Census. You can submit testimony or ask questions at redistricting@klrd.ks.gov. Learn more.
- Missouri – Missouri House and Senate Independent Bipartisan Citizens Commissions have also been seeking public feedback for their redistricting plan. Redistricting is set to be completed by April of 2022. You can submit testimony or ask questions here. Learn more.
Universal Charitable Deduction
At the end of last year, Congress increased the universal charitable deduction to $300 for individuals and $600 for couples. This change is set to expire on December 31, unless action is taken.
Learn more.
Funding the Government
The current continuing resolution – which funds all departments of the federal government – expires this Friday December 3rd. If the resolution is not extended, or a new budget passed, the government will shut down. Some anticipate Congress will pass another extension through late January, further delaying the full budget debate but keeping operations going. The clock is also ticking on the government’s borrowing authority; with current authorization, the government may default on its loans after December 15th. Republicans have generally denied participation in a bipartisan solution (raising or suspending the debt limit), but negotiations among Senate Majority Leader Schumer and Minority Leader McConnell are ongoing.
Learn more.
Build Back Better – Biden’s Agenda
The Build Back Better Act (H.R. 5376) passed the House earlier this month, but it did not receive any Republican votes. In the Senate, the bill remains largely in the same spot – no Republican support, and some Democrat holdouts. Debate will continue over paid-leave, taxes, and energy incentives. Senator Schumer, however, reportedly thinks the bill could be put to a vote in the Senate as soon as December 13th.
Learn more.
Stay tuned for more updates as we move into 2022.
This post was written by Kristen Wood, Nonprofit Connect's Advocacy Contributor.
Kristen is an avid participant in Kansas City’s nonprofit community and a self-proclaimed ‘lifetime learner’. In addition to working for Goodwill of Western Missouri & Eastern Kansas, she enjoys following nonprofit policy issues.
If you have any questions on Policy Updates, please reach out to Nonprofit Connect’s Marketing Manager, Colin Bennett, at cbennett@npconnect.org.
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