Valley Humane Co-Sponsored Bill Reaches Governor’s Desk
Sometimes supporting animals and the people who love them means looking beyond our own walls and asking how we can help make a larger system work better. It was in this spirit that Valley Humane Society co-sponsored California Senate Bill 1288 with CalNonprofits and San Diego Humane Society.
A few years ago, Valley Humane was named as one of nine nonprofit beneficiaries of a donor’s IRA. Although the donor’s wishes were clear, administrative requirements resulted in a two-and-a-half-year delay before the gift could be distributed.
These administrative barriers not only affected our organization, but also the family who was trying to carry out a loved one’s wishes during an already difficult time. We discovered while talking with other nonprofits that our experience was not unique.
The bill, introduced by Senator John Laird, will create clearer, more consistent standards for certain assets passing directly to beneficiaries and help ensure people’s charitable wishes are carried out without unnecessary barriers or delays.
Now there’s exciting progress to share: SB 1288 has reached the Governor’s desk! After passing off the California State Senate floor unanimously, and the bill’s opposition moving to neutral, we remain hopeful the Governor will see the value of this bill for all consumers and sign it.
Want to learn more?
- Read more about why Valley Humane is supporting SB 1288
- Read the bill and its amendments
- Follow its progress through the Legislature
For donors, this is a good reminder to periodically review the beneficiary designations on your accounts. Keep names and contact information up to date, use a nonprofit’s full legal name and EIN when naming an organization, and make sure someone you trust knows where your accounts are held and who you’ve designated as beneficiaries.
Valley Humane is proud to bring our experience to this work and help make the path clearer for families and nonprofits across California. Stay tuned to our blog and social media for more updates as SB 1288 moves forward!