Advocacy Updates at TCG + Opportunities to Take Action

This week, we continue to express gratitude for the contributions of Laurie Baskin, and congratulate her on her retirement, and the work of advocacy at TCG continues. Here are a few updates as we continue to lift our voices together:

FY25 NEA Funding Process Underway - Contact your Senators!

The House Interior Appropriations Subcommittee has begun the annual budget process for the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and National Endowment for the Humanities for FY25. Subcommittee Chair Mike Simpson (R-ID) proposed each Endowment receive $203.895M – an approximately $3M reduction from current funding levels, but a significantly higher recommendation than the $186.3M the House subcommittee had requested last year.

We invite our members to urge your representatives to allocate no less than $211M for the agency for FY25 in order to enable more communities across the United States to receive much-needed support in bringing people together for the experience of the arts. Please share specific examples of how your organization uses NEA funding to serve your community if you have been a recipient.

Take Action Here!

Overtime Rule Update

The overtime compensation requirements have gone into effect as of July 1st, 2024. This rule updates and revises the regulations for determining whether certain salaried employees are exempt from minimum wage and overtime requirements. The Overtime Final Rule makes changes in three areas:

Standard Salary Threshold

1. On July 1, the standard salary threshold goes up to $844 per week/$43,888 per year (from the current level of $684 per week/$35,568 per year).
2. On January 1, 2025, the salary level then goes up again to $1,128 per week or $58,656 per year.
3. Beginning July 1, 2027, the salary threshold will be automatically adjusted for inflation every three years.

Although last week a Texas federal judge temporarily halted implementation of the new rules while a case filed by the state of Texas is considered, the injunction only applies to governmental Texas state employers. Although there may be other efforts aimed at overturning the rule, members should prepare for increased costs during implementation.

You can learn more, here: https://www.councilofnonprofits.org/evaluating-us-department-labors-overtime-final-rule

https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/overtime/rulemaking/faqs

We will continue to monitor and share any updates.

Fix The Tix Day of Action

TCG, as a member of the Performing Arts Alliance, is part of the Fix the Tix Coalition. Next Tuesday, July 9th, the coalition is hosting a day of action to urge congress to pass comprehensive ticketing reform that bans fake tickets, deceptive marketing, and hidden costs. Proposed legislation includes The Fans First Act (S. 3457) and The TICKET Act (H.R. 3950). You can find out more information about these in our issue brief here or by visiting the coalition website at https://www.nivassoc.org/fixthetix.

Take Action on July 9th

Upcoming Legislation

TCG is proud to join with our colleagues from the Cultural Advocacy Group in endorsing the forthcoming Equitable Arts Education Enhancement Act. This new legislation, which is being introduced by Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (CA), will create a new grant program to specifically support arts education at BIPOC-serving institutions of higher education. The grants could be used in a number of ways, including stipends for candidates in arts education, preparation programs to participate in clinical experiences, developing mentoring programs for future arts educators, providing training and stipends for mentor teachers, and paying for future arts educators and mentor teachers to participate in professional learning opportunities offered by nonprofit arts education organizations. Stay tuned for more information.