RANCHO CORDOVA, Calif.—Prevent Blindness America, the National Association of School Nurses and the National Council of La Raza recently collaborated to file an amicus brief supporting VSP Vision Care’s efforts to regain its federal tax-exempt status in a case it is pursuing in the U.S. Supreme Court. The National Taxpayers Union and professor Darryll K. Jones of Stetson University College of Law also filed amicus briefs with the Supreme Court urging that VSP’s appeal be heard.

“This case is being monitored closely by tax-exempt not-for-profits across the country,” said former U.S. solicitor general, Kenneth Starr, VSP’s counsel of record in the case. “Not-for-profits are forced to ask themselves this question—if this can happen to a company that has had a tax exemption for more than 40 years, hasn’t changed their business philosophy or focus on the community and suddenly had their tax exemption revoked without a clear explanation, could we be next?”

PBA, the National Association of School Nurses and the National Council of La Raza have been partners in VSP’s Sight for Students charity program, which began in 1997.

The brief filed jointly by the three organizations said they believe the Ninth Circuit Court’s decision upholding the IRS’s revocation of VSP’s tax-exempt status frustrates, rather than furthers, their shared goal of improving and protecting the sight of America’s children, and that the decision threatens to divert to the federal treasury Sight for Students funds that are needed to provide eyecare to low-income, uninsured and underinsured children.

On Aug. 7, VSP petitioned the Supreme Court to hear its case. A response to that petition is expected around Oct. 10; VSP will then have 10 days to file a reply brief. If the Court decides to take the case, it is expected to hear oral arguments in February or March.