Humane Society Legislative Fund

“OFFICERS MARKARIAN, PACELLE, WAITE, KARL, BARSNESS, REESE, MOCHI, ENGLAND, MAY AND PARRA WERE EMPLOYED BY ANOTHER ORGANIZATION ON WHOSE BOARD DIRECTORS ATHERTON, CESAK, COUPE, GREENSPUN GALE, LAUE, PROBST, AND WIEBERS SERVED. THEREFORE, THESE INDIVIDUALS HAD "BUSINESS RELATIONSHIPS" WITH EACH OTHER. - Business relationship”

“The members of the corporation shall consist of persons who support the corporation's purposes and who affirmatively respond to the corporation's invitation to join. Members shall pay annual dues in such amount as shall be determined by the board of directors. Any person who responds affirmatively to an invitation to become a member of the humane society legislative fund (hslf) and either 1) makes a single contribution of ten dollars ($10) or more to hslf as membership dues, or 2) makes a series of contributions that total ten dollars ($10) or more in the aggregate within four (4) months after the date of the first contribution shall be considered a member of hslf for the twelve-month period ending on the anniversary date on which hslf has determined that an aggregate of ten dollars has been reached in the case of contributors described in section 2, above.”

“After internal accounting staff drafts the 990, the draft is submitted to hslf's independent tax preparers for their review and revision, as may be appropriate. The revised draft is then given to hslf's treasurer for further review. Once all staff and professional reviews/revisions are done, the treasurer sends the proposed final of the form 990 to the hslf board for its consideration. Once the board has had an opportunity to review and comment, the finalized version is filed with the irs.”

“The implementation of the conflict of interest policy emphasizes avoiding conflicts to begin with. The general counsel's office fields and usually resolves conflicts of interest and questions raised by staff or board members. This organization was of such a size, in terms of board and staff, that monitoring and compliance was accomplished through legal and executive diligence on an ongoing basis.”

“Hslf makes its articles of incorporation and bylaws available to donors free of charge upon request. Formal audited financial statements are filed with state charitable solicitation registrations and are made available to major donors and, where required by state law, to the general public by mail upon request. Hslf makes copies of its form 1024 application for recognition of tax-exempt status available to the public upon request both by mail and in person at hslf's headquarters in washington, dc. Hslf makes copies of the three most recently-filed forms 990 available to the public upon request both by mail and in person at hslf's headquarters in washington, dc, as well as on hslf's website, as set forth in irs code section 6104(d). The conflict of interest policy has not been made available to the general public.”

“Humane society legislative fund's (hslf) mission is to undertake and support programs designed to enhance and protect the status of animals through education of the public and mobilization of public opinion and through the reform of laws, enactment of remedial legislation and changes in public policy. The goal of hslf is to advance social welfare by helping to pass state and federal laws that protect animals from cruelty, suffering, and unnecessary killing and use.”

“Continued from part iii, line 4a (1 of 2) this bill sustained funding for enforcement of key laws such as the horse protection act (hpa), animal welfare act (awa), and humane methods of slaughter act. Additionally, this bill provided $2 million more for enforcement of the awa, including a directive to oversee animal welfare standards at usda facilities conducting research on farm animals, $8,000 more for enforcement of the hpa, $1.5 million more for veterinary student loan repayment, and level funding for the office of inspector general that helps enforce animal fighting prohibitions; and renewed the prohibition of licensing/re-licensing "class b" random source dealers of animals. Federal affairs secured language in the fy18 interior appropriations bill to maintain endangered species act (esa) protections for gray wolves in the wyoming and great lakes region, and oppose harmful language proposed to undermine esa protections for various species. This bill maintained level funding for the u.s. Fish and wildlife service's office of law enforcement and $2 million more for fws' international affairs division to fight wildlife trafficking. It also provided increased funding alternatives to animal tests. The omnibus doubled funding for the wounded warrior service dog project. Federal affairs played a critical role in garnering bipartisan support from 190 representatives and 38 senators to call for ample fy19 funding and strong language to enforce important animal welfare laws and restore purged usda inspection reports and other records regarding animal welfare act and horse protection act enforcement. Several appropriations bills, in both the house and senate passed through committee and were brought to the floor containing animal protection provisions for wildlife, companion animals, animals used in research and testing, and farm animals. Although a few have been passed into law, some of the bills were stalled in conference and are awaiting action. Senate appropriations committee voted in favor of the udall amendment prohibiting horse slaughter facilities from opening in the u.s. The committee report accompanying house labor-health and human services appropriations bill contained strong language encouraging national institutes of health (nih) to expedite retirement of nih-owned chimpanzees and consider a possible expansion of the national sanctuary system. The house agriculture appropriations bill provides strong support for the u.s. Food and drug administration's (fda) program to replace animals for drug and other testing. The committee report accompanying the house agriculture appropriations bill contained strong language urging usda to promptly restore and resume posting online searchable records related to awa and hpa enforcement, and includes prohibition on licensing/re-licensing of class b dealers who sell "random source" dogs and cats for use in research. Additionally, the house agriculture appropriations report language encourages wildlife services to evaluate alternatives to m-44 cyanide bombs for predator control. The house interior appropriations bill includes strong funding and committee report language for epa's computationaltoxicology program, which develops alternatives to animal testing. Finally, senate armed services committee report language accompanying the fy18 national defense authorization act (p.l. 115-91) called for a national academies study on modeling and simulation techniques for medical training. These methods could replace the defense department's use of live animals for medical training. Hslf played a critical role in ensuring the pet and women safety (paws) act (h.r. 909/s. 322), parity in animal cruelty enforcement act (h.r. 4202/s. 2971), and dog and cat meat trade prohibition act (h.r. 1406) were included in the final version of the agriculture improvement act of 2018 (h.r. 2). Hslf was essential to building a bipartisan coalition against the protecting interstate commerce (pica) act (h.r. 3599/h.r”

“CONTINUED FROM PART III, LINE 4A (2 OF 2) FEDERAL AFFAIRS CONTINUED TO ENCOURAGE THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE (USDA) TO PUBLISH A RULE STRENGTHENING HORSE PROTECTION ACT REGULATIONS. FEDERAL AFFAIRS OPPOSED THE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE'S REMOVAL OF ANIMAL WELFARE ACT AND HORSE PROTECTION ACT ENFORCEMENT DATA FROM ITS ONLINE REPOSITORY OF PUBLIC INFORMATION. FEDERAL AFFAIRS SUPPORTED USDA'S CONSIDERATION OF WAYS TO IMPROVE ANIMAL WELFARE ACT LICENSING REGULATIONS AND DECISION TO DENOUNCE AN EARLIER PROPOSAL THAT WOULD ALLOW THIRD-PARTY INSPECTIONS OF LICENSED FACILITIES. Ballot Initiatives: OHIO: HSLF SUPPORTED A MEASURE TO IMPROVE THE STANDARDS OF CARE IN COMMERCIAL BREEDING FACILITIES; AND PROHIBIT COMMERCIAL BREEDERS AND OTHER SELLERS, REGARDLESS OF WHERE THEY ARE LOCATED, FROM SELLING DOGS TO OHIO CONSUMERS UNLESS THEY MEET THESE HUMANE STANDARDS OF CARE. CALIFORNIA: HSLF SUPPORTED A MEASURE THAT WOULD END EXTREME CONFINEMENT OF CERTAIN ANIMALS ON FACTORY FARMS AND SET A NEW RETAIL STANDARD SUPPORTING ANIMAL WELFARE. FLORIDA: HSLF SUPPORTED A MEASURE THAT WOULD END THE CRUELTY OF GREYHOUND RACING IN FLORIDA BY PHASING OUT COMMERCIAL GREYHOUND RACING BY 2020. COALITIONS: INTERNATIONAL COALITION FOR ANIMAL PROTECTION IN THE OECD (ICAPO): WITH PARTNERS IN EUROPE, JAPAN, CANADA AND THE UNITED STATES, HSLF SERVED FOR DDAL ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR THE ICAPO, WHICH ACTIVELY LOBBIES FOR CHANGES IN TEST GUIDELINES TO HARMONIZE INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS FOR ALTERNATIVES AND ANIMAL TESTS. HSLF SUPPORTED EXPERT COMMENTS ON TEST GUIDELINE REVIEWS AND PROPOSED POLICY CHANGES, LOBBIED THE U.S. AND CANADIAN REPRESENTATIVES TO OECD AND PROVIDED GUIDANCE FOR THE DIRECTION OF THE WORKING GROUPS. COALITION FOR CONSUMER INFORMATION ON COSMETICS (CCIC): HSLF PROVIDED DORIS DAY ANIMAL LEAGUE (DDAL) REPRESENTATION ON THE STEERING COMMITTEE FOR DDAL, WHICH MANAGES THE U.S. STANDARD FOR "CRUELTY-FREE" COSMETICS AND HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS. WE WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR EUROPEAN PARTNERS FOR A NORTH AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN STANDARD.”

“Continued from part iii, line 4b (1 of 1) the distribution of volunteer-authored postcards to district voter households in support of 2 candidates; voter list acquisition in 22 districts; peer-to-peer texting platform usage; and staff time to conduct the activity listed. Hslf solicited funds through peer-to-peer fundraising of hslf members for its federal, affiliated political action committee.”

“Continued from part iii, line 4c (1 of 1) coalition-building: hslf continues relationship-building on areas of common interest with industry trade associations and their individual members and "think-tanks" for federal and international regulatory toxicology work.”

“The Humane Society of the United States pays wages to the employees of HSLF and files all required federal employment tax returns, including Form W-3. HSLF does not report employees on Form W-3.”

“The process for overseeing the audit of the financial statements and selection of an independent accountant that audited the financial statements has been consistent with prior years. The audited financial statements are reviewed by the board which acts as its own committee.”