Urgent - Small Games of Chance - HB 290

[dcheckman]

Received this email request 10-11 days ago, probably many of you have also received this request and acted on the request as I did for Small Game of Chance - HB 290. This request is from an active conservation/sportsmen's group working on this legislation. I have received a couple minor variations of this email in recent days. What is the current status of this pending legislative bill and the conservation/sportsmen's org's changes being requested?
Don...


Subject: Urgent - Small Games of Chance

We are in Harrisburg working the Small Games issue. We urgently need to generate some phone calls.

Here is where we are: The Senate decided yesterday to move a bill to "fix" the issues with Small Games of Chance. We learned this afternoon that this bill could be voted upon in the next day or two! As of right now, they have not fixed our issues.

We are continuing to work to have our language added before the bill is voted on. This decision will likely happen over the next 24-48 hours.

We really need to make the phones ring in a few key offices.

Below is some suggested alert language.

If anyone has any questions please call me at 614-832-8848.

Thanks,

Evan

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Calls Needed Immediately. The Future of XXXX (Organization) in Pennsylvania is at Stake!

The Pennsylvania Senate will soon vote on a bill that will drastically impact XXXX's (organization) ability to hold fundraising banquets. As you know, these banquets are the life blood that supports all of the good work that we do.

Under current law, many of the aspects of our fundraising model will be prohibited. This includes most of the raffles and games that take place at your local banquet.

We urgently need calls to the following Senators:

Senator Ward: 717-787-6063
Senator Scarnati: 717- 787-7084
Senator Pillegi : 717-787-4712
Senator Gordner: 717-787-8928
Senator Vulakovich 717-787-6538
Senator Fontana : 717-787-5300
Senator Smith: 717-787-5839
Senator Wiley: 717-787-8927

Take Action! Please call these members as soon as possible. Tell them sportsmen and women are counting on them. Tell them to "Support the Conservation Organization Fix!"

[dcheckman]

Additional Alert received:

NWTF Action Alert
Help Fix Penn. Raffle Laws
Contact Your Senator Today
The NWTF is a driving force in conservation due to the efforts of our countless volunteer at NWTF banquets. A significant portion of the money raised at banquets, money that is then invested in conservation and the preservation of our hunting heritage, is generated by raffles.
Last week a Pennsylvania Senate Committee passed House Bill 290, which was supposed to fix the small games of chance law that governs raffles used by organizations like the NWTF. While House Bill 290 does address a few needs, it leaves out the most important items that allow conservation organizations to hold banquets that include raffles.
Under House Bill 290, conservation organizations cannot:
• Use rolls of tickets or accept late raffle prize donations since raffles would be required to have pre-printed tickets that include the date, location, time, prize, value of the prize, raffle license number, name of the organization, special raffle permit number and price
• Provide incentives to sell raffle tickets, such as volume discounts (1 ticket for $10 or 3 tickets for $20)
• Provide bonus raffle tickets for buying larger packages
• Conduct games where varying numbers of tickets are won to be placed in a raffle
• Use raffles that allow participant to pick which prizes they would like to be in the drawing for
• Accept credit cards
• Use ticket sellers who receive any payment
Telephone calls from concerned sportsmen can help change this. Please call your state Senator today and urge them to fix House Bill 290. Be polite, but make the following points:
• House Bill 290 needs to be fixed so that it does not harm conservation organizations like the NWTF.
• Explain that the proceeds from NWTF banquets go to conservation, habitat and hunting heritage efforts that benefit all Pennsylvanians.
• Let them know that much of the money raised at banquets comes from these raffles.
• Tell your Senator that sportsmen’s banquets should not be treated like criminal activity.
These following Senators hold key votes on House Bill 290. If you live in the district, it is particularly important that you share your opinion:
• Senator Corman, [phone]
• Senator Tomlinson, [phone]
• Senator Pillegi, [phone]
• Senator Scarnotti, [phone]
• Senator Argall, [phone]
• Senator Baker, [phone]
• Senator Gordner, [phone]
• Senator Mensch, [phone]
• Senator Rafferty, [phone]
• Senator Vance, [phone]
• Senator Vogel, [phone]
• Senator Vulakavich, [phone]
• Senator Waugh, [phone]
• Senator Ferlo, [phone]
• Senator Costa, [phone]
• Senator Schwank, [phone]
• Senator Solobay, [phone]
• Senator Wozniak, [phone]
• Senator Yudichak, [phone]
Thank you for your support.

[melody]

Both bills dealing with SGC were passed over in committee again today. We are still waiting to see the final language that we need to fix things. Please email the senators and ask that they please support the conservation amendments. Without these fixes, many of our conservation groups will be unable to raise much needed funds for their conservation efforts.

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[davet]

Help me out here......but from what I understand, there has been no update on the SGoC law and beginning next year the reporting will start. Yes??

Dave

[Deleted]

Reporting started last year.

[melody]

Some reporting has always been required, but the over-burdensome reporting that was passed last year was delayed until 2014, with the hopes the legislature will pass new language that clears up many of the problems the current law creates for non-profits. Our hope is the legislature will pick up and pass the changes we worked on in June when they return later this month.

Here's an article that discusses the reporting delay:

GROUPS GET EXTRA YEAR TO COMPLY WITH SMALL GAMES LAW

According to an article in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, clubs and fraternal groups that run small games of chance will have another year to file onerous financial reports and some lawmakers plan to use the time to repeal or fix the law they approved last year. The Department of Revenue said the Feb. 1 deadline for the organizations to file annual reports will move to Feb. 1, 2014, said spokeswoman Elizabeth Brassell. The Department of Revenue, an agency under Gov. Tom Corbett, is designated to collect and house the reports. Click here to read the Pittsburgh Tribune Review article.

triblive.com/news/adminpage/3227833-74/law-reports-clubs#axzz2Gues7lPx

[Deleted]

Thanks Mel. I did not know that.

[davet]

So, if I read this correctly, the calendar year 2013 will need to be reported by Feb 1, 2014. WOW!!! Most Organizations (I don't want to use the word "Clubs" as the language for SGoC defines a "Club" as "Any Non-Profit Organization that owns a Pa. Liquor License.) don't even have their checkbooks balanced for December by that time!!!!

Dave