Streamlining Commission Adopts Amended Nonprofit Recommendation

LANO Cited as Improving State Nonprofits' Accountability

BATON ROUGE—Members of the State Commission on Streamlining Government voted Tuesday to amend recommendation AGEB#6, a proposal that in original form called for elimination of line-item state appropriations, or earmarks, for nonprofit organizations.

New language introduced by Rep. Brett Geymann of Lake Charles, recommends nonprofits receiving line-item support meet codified standards of accountability, to include existing transparency measures established in Act 842 of the 2008 Regular Session and by executive order, new oversight by the Legislative Auditor and Inspector General, and a nationally-recognized accreditation.

The Louisiana Standards for Excellence, the certification process administered by the Louisiana Association of Nonprofit Organizations (LANO), is cited as one example of suitable accreditation.

LANO was mentioned several times during the Commission debate, receiving praise from members Rep. Geymann, Sen. Mike Michot (District 23), and gubernatorial appointees Mr. Barry Erwin of Council for a Better Louisiana and Vice Chair Mr. Roy O. Martin of Lafayette.

In proposing his amendment, Rep. Geymann stated that suitably accredited nonprofits can partner with government and save taxpayers' money.

Nonprofits like LANO, he said, "provide services to the community that we can't do alone through the state. . .We can't go out and do the job that LANO can do. If we have to take that burden upon ourselves, we are not going to be as efficient or as effective."

At the invitation of Sen. Michot, LANO President & CEO Ann S. Williamson provided brief testimony regarding the value of the nonprofit sector and the Standards for Excellence certification. This nationally recognized certification, she said, includes defined criteria for transparency and 57 distinct measures of performance-driven accountability.

Following Williamson's comments, the Commission voted 8-2 in favor of the revised recommendation.

A video recording of the meeting is available at the Commission website, with discussion of AGEB#6 beginning near the two-hour mark and continuing approximately 35 minutes.

Additional coverage of the debate is available in a November 4 Times-Picauyne story and in the November 3 afternoon update of the Baton Rouge Business Report Daily Report.