California Boy Scouts lose non-profit tax status

[RememberSchiff 3683]

The California Senate in a 27-9 vote revoked the tax-exempt status of all California youth groups that discriminate (youth member or adult leaders) on the basis of sexual orientation. This effects Boy Scouts (councils, maybe some charter organizations?) and another youth group Capitol Resource Institute.

 

"The law would have no effect on the tax-exempt status of churches, many of which discriminate against gays and lesbians."

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/05/30/boy-scouts-nonprofit-status_n_3362079.html

[click23 66]

Churches charter the majority of BSA unit, they technically own the units. What is the difference in Sunday school class using the tax exempt status of the church for purchases it makes, and its chartered units using the same exemption status for its purchases?

[RememberSchiff 3683]

I attempted to post that 4 days ago (5/31) and it now magically appears on 6/4, sort of like snail-mailing a letter to IT and having them post it??

 

This bill certainly has problems, but politically it may become law if only briefly as National did not address those recent, high profile California scouts whose Eagle application was denied.

 

My $0.02 which may take 4 days to deliver.

 

P.S. Wow this posting is listed and reachable in the Issues and Politics! Good news.

[Scouter99 265]

Your title, like HuffPost's, is false. The law has not been passed by the second chamber of California's legislature, nor has it been signed by its governor. Both might be likely, but until then, no, California Boy Scouts have not lost their tax exempt status.

[DigitalScout 75]

The California legislature occasionally passes these meaningless bills just to make a political statement. I'm no lawyer but I think if the IRS says you are a non-profit, then you are a non-profit. Just because our legislature votes to pull the non-profit status of the BSA doesn't mean it will be upheld in court.

[RememberSchiff 3683]

Your title, like HuffPost's, is false. The law has not been passed by the second chamber of California's legislature, nor has it been signed by its governor. Both might be likely, but until then, no, California Boy Scouts have not lost their tax exempt status.

Thanks, both stand corrected...for now.

So should we

1. Take our chances it will not be signed into law, but if it does hire lawyers to overturn it.

2. Bestow Eagle rank to those gay Calif, scouts recently denied as a show of goodwill and hopefully killing the bill.

 

Bigger forces come into play when new revenue sources (churches, colleges, scouts) are identified

 

Another $0.01 for the IRS line dancing classes..

[Merlyn_LeRoy 72]

As far as I can tell, the bill has only passed the senate, not the house (which would take a 2/3 vote, but not require the governor's signature (Prop 13)). However, I think it would be legal going by Bob Jones University vs. US. California already has its own tax exempt status (23701d) , and if you don't get it or apply for it, you pay $800/year franchise tax, churches included. Of course, the BSA would only have to pay CA state taxes, not federal taxes.

[Scouter99 265]

Thanks, both stand corrected...for now.

So should we

1. Take our chances it will not be signed into law, but if it does hire lawyers to overturn it.

2. Bestow Eagle rank to those gay Calif, scouts recently denied as a show of goodwill and hopefully killing the bill.

Ryan Andresen is the only California kid I know of by name. Let's say BSA decided to be magnanimous and retroactively award him Eagle Scout despite his being gay. Great. He's still an atheist. He might not have known he was gay when he joined at 6, and maybe he decided he's an atheist just 2 years ago--either way, he is ineligible for membership and therefore ineligible for awards.

Now, I've never been faced with the situation, and I really do feel for the kid. But frankly it was idiotic for him to go all that way and do all that work then sit in his Eagle BoR and tell BSA that he "has no duty to God" because he's an atheist, and oh by the way I'm gay. So, no, I don't believe BSA should send him an Eagle award. This is a voluntary membership in a private organization which is unambiguous about its stance on the centrality of religion, and Andresen knew that.