Creating Nonprofit Transparency and Accountability Act

SB 227, the Nonprofit Transparency and Accountability Act, requires nonprofits receiving any public funds (state or federal) to comply with Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests exactly as government bodies do. It directly affects West Virginia nonprofits that use public money for operations, mandating they respond to public records requests under the same rules as government agencies. The bill adds new legal requirements for these organizations to enroll in "Open Checkbooks" for financial transparency. This creates standardized accountability for nonprofits using public funds, without changing funding levels or creating new financial obligations.