Estimated read time: Less than a minute
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York taxpayers will have the option of contributing to 13 causes next year that now include educational efforts to prevent women's cancers and against the stigma of mental illness.
Another new state law now requires spending contributions in the fiscal year they're collected, no longer leaving millions of donated dollars languishing.
While the measures were signed only last week by Gov. Andrew Cuomo, the tax department says the 2015 income tax forms appearing in January will include the two new causes.
Contributions already support wildlife, Olympic training centers, breast cancer research, homeless veterans, missing children, Alzheimer's disease, prostate cancer, World Trade Center memorials, volunteer firefighter recruitment, teen health education and veterans' cemeteries.
Advocates say one-fourth of Americans have a diagnosed mental illness but stigma keeps many more from treatment.
Copyright © The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
