Mississippi Asserting Tighter Control Over Its Nonprofits

As reported by the Associated Press, Mississippi Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann is pursuing a review of the state’s nearly 38,000 nonprofit organizations with the ultimate goal of ensuring that these organizations continue to earn their nonprofit status.  His office will mails letters over the next several weeks requesting information about each organization’s activities and fundraising.  In 2009, Mr. Hosemann was instrumental in the drafting and passage of new state laws pertaining to nonprofits.  That legislation simultaneously reduced “regulatory burdens” on charities while fortifying his office’s ability to enforce laws against defunct or dishonest charitable organizations, including a subpoena power and the ability to bring suit in the chancery court to address illegality and past due fines as well as revoke charitable status.

NAM