NY nonprofit overhaul proposed

ALBANY, N.Y. — State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman is unveiling proposals to increase the accountability of 103,000 nonprofits in New York through new board requirements.

He also proposes to help many financially by streamlining state contract payments, reporting and registration rules.

Schneiderman's office monitors all nonprofits, including 60,000 that are registered as charities. He's endorsing findings of the review committee he appointed last year.

Last week's legislative proposals would give his office and the nonprofits themselves new tools to police fraud and abuse.

The committee of nonprofit officials and attorney general staff reports the state had 22,000 active contracts with nonprofits totaling almost $17 billion last October for services like legal aid, child welfare, affordable housing and drug counseling.

With 1.2 million paid employees, they represented 18 percent of New York's private work force in 2010.