On October 7, 2019, Lindsay Nathan was quoted in USAE News regarding a federal judge's decision to strike down two provisions of a 2016 New York lobbying law that dramatically expanded donor disclosure requirements.
According to the article, a series of groups quickly challenged the provisions in federal court. The court temporarily blocked enforcement of the provisions while the case proceeded. After a two-and-a-half-year battle, the court invalidated both provisions on First Amendment grounds, concluding that they impermissibly burdened donors' rights to free speech, association, and privacy.
"Because the court had temporarily blocked the law while it was considering the issue, nothing will change," Nathan told USAE. "The important thing is that nonprofits advocating on public policy matters will not face burdensome and potentially chilling disclosure obligations in the future. But, it is important to remember that even without these provisions, New York has very complicated lobbying and campaign finance rules that can trip up nonprofits."