Post by melody on Feb 12, 2013 16:28:45 GMT -5
House Gaming Oversight Committee
2/5/13, Room B-31 Main Capitol
By Matt Hess, PLS
The committee met to consider committees rules and HB 290.
The committee rules were unanimously adopted.
HB 290 Brooks, Michelle - (PN 438) Amends Local Option Small Games of Chance Act by amending the definition of “games of chance” to include selective raffles, coin auctions, a night at the races, Texas Hold’em card tournaments and vertical wheel games. Provides definitions of selective raffles, coin auctions, a night at the races, Texas Hold’em card tournaments and vertical wheel games. Allows the Department of Revenue to approve small games of chance through regulation with statutory guidelines. Provides the annual report form to be available in a paper format and allows the report to be filed by mail. Clarifies that an organization may hold their small games of chance at another organization’s licensed premise and allows each organization to operate games at the same time. Changes the background check requirement from the secretary to the treasurer. Eliminates the need for limited occasion licenses. Clarifies the license process and requirements based on the amount of proceeds an organization receives from small games of chance. Allows club licensees to retain the first $40,000 in small games of chance proceed for their own use and when the $40,000 has been retained by the organization, allows the current 70/30 split of proceeds between public interest purposes and general operating expenses. Clarifies that Liquor Control Enforcement does not have enforcement powers over small games of chance violations with organizations that solely have a special occasion permit under the Liquor Code. Makes changes in record keeping requirements and eliminates the requirement that an organization must obtain receipts for all donated items. - The bill was reported as amended with Rep. Paul Clymer (R-Bucks), Rep. Tina Davis (D-Bucks), Rep. Stephen Kinsey (D-Philadelphia), Rep. Ed Neilson (D-Philadelphia) voting in the negative.
Rep. Michelle Brooks (R-Mercer), prime sponsor of the bill, explained why the legislation is necessary. “In a day where funding is so limited, this bill was introduced to help clear up some different things but also unite and assist various organizations that are so vital to our committees,” she stated. “An unintended consequence of a bill passed last session really put significant restraints on organizations that contribute a great deal of resources to our communities.”
Rep. Brooks gave an overview of the bill and highlighted the following:
• Clarified definition of “public interest purpose”;
• Adds selective raffles, quarter auctions, Night at the Races, Texas Hold ‘Em, and vertical wheels;
• Permits the Department of Review to approve new small games of chance for eligible organizations, except club licensees, per regulation;
• Clarifies that small games proceeds need to be expended for public interest purposes within 12 months from when the proceeds were received;
• Clarifies the licensing process and requirements based on the amount of proceeds an organization receives from small games of chance: organizations making less than $40,000 a year in proceeds from games of chance will pay $25 for a license, organizations making more than $40,000 a year in proceeds from games of chance will pay the current license fee of $100;
• Provides that a club licensee may retain the first $40,000 in games of chance proceeds for use by the club.
A00088 by Youngblood, was described as a technical amendment. The amendment was unanimously adopted.
A00097 by Boback, adds a “poker run” as a small game of chance. The amendment was unanimously adopted.
A00099 by Boback, requires clubs to maintain records for two years. The amendment was unanimously adopted.
Rep. Jerry Knowles (R-Schuylkill) commended Rep. Brooks and spoke in favor of the bill. “I do believe this is good, sensible legislation and I would urge an affirmative vote.”
Minority Chairman Rosita Youngblood also spoke in favor of the bill. “I agree we need to address concerns specifically for small organizations and I think this legislation starts the process of getting that done,” she stated. “For me personally, I think we need to free up the Liquor Control Enforcement (LCE) from going after small, nonprofit clubs and allow them to focus on nuisance bars in Philadelphia. This is the main reason I support this bill. LCE should not be wasting resources on a small nonprofit while nuisance bars in Philadelphia are running wild.”
Rep. Ed Neilson (D-Philadelphia) expressed concern about the legislation. “There are provisions in this bill I can’t agree with such as the Department of Revenue oversight; it has no business being in the Department I think we have to keep it with the House and the Senate,” he stated. “Also the Texas Hold ‘Em, I think there needs to be some more oversight language spelled out in this legislation. There’s no reason why we can’t take our time with this bill.” Regarding Department of Revenue oversight, Rep. Brooks stated “we tried to restrict the language to keep it only small games because our fear is we have not thought of every single organization and their small game so that’s why we allowed Revenue” to have oversight. She added “we wanted to give Revenue the opportunity to help those small organizations by putting restrictions on what they can approve but not making it so cumbersome and lengthy that it could be ten years from now before that small game that somebody made $2,000 at is approved.”
Rep. Peter Daley (D-Washington) pointed out “if the governor had not granted a one year stay on the reporting requirement the urgency of this bill would be much greater.” He added, “I have two American Legions I know of in western Pennsylvania who are out of business and maybe two more this week; it’s important we do something and move it quickly.”
2/5/13, Room B-31 Main Capitol
By Matt Hess, PLS
The committee met to consider committees rules and HB 290.
The committee rules were unanimously adopted.
HB 290 Brooks, Michelle - (PN 438) Amends Local Option Small Games of Chance Act by amending the definition of “games of chance” to include selective raffles, coin auctions, a night at the races, Texas Hold’em card tournaments and vertical wheel games. Provides definitions of selective raffles, coin auctions, a night at the races, Texas Hold’em card tournaments and vertical wheel games. Allows the Department of Revenue to approve small games of chance through regulation with statutory guidelines. Provides the annual report form to be available in a paper format and allows the report to be filed by mail. Clarifies that an organization may hold their small games of chance at another organization’s licensed premise and allows each organization to operate games at the same time. Changes the background check requirement from the secretary to the treasurer. Eliminates the need for limited occasion licenses. Clarifies the license process and requirements based on the amount of proceeds an organization receives from small games of chance. Allows club licensees to retain the first $40,000 in small games of chance proceed for their own use and when the $40,000 has been retained by the organization, allows the current 70/30 split of proceeds between public interest purposes and general operating expenses. Clarifies that Liquor Control Enforcement does not have enforcement powers over small games of chance violations with organizations that solely have a special occasion permit under the Liquor Code. Makes changes in record keeping requirements and eliminates the requirement that an organization must obtain receipts for all donated items. - The bill was reported as amended with Rep. Paul Clymer (R-Bucks), Rep. Tina Davis (D-Bucks), Rep. Stephen Kinsey (D-Philadelphia), Rep. Ed Neilson (D-Philadelphia) voting in the negative.
Rep. Michelle Brooks (R-Mercer), prime sponsor of the bill, explained why the legislation is necessary. “In a day where funding is so limited, this bill was introduced to help clear up some different things but also unite and assist various organizations that are so vital to our committees,” she stated. “An unintended consequence of a bill passed last session really put significant restraints on organizations that contribute a great deal of resources to our communities.”
Rep. Brooks gave an overview of the bill and highlighted the following:
• Clarified definition of “public interest purpose”;
• Adds selective raffles, quarter auctions, Night at the Races, Texas Hold ‘Em, and vertical wheels;
• Permits the Department of Review to approve new small games of chance for eligible organizations, except club licensees, per regulation;
• Clarifies that small games proceeds need to be expended for public interest purposes within 12 months from when the proceeds were received;
• Clarifies the licensing process and requirements based on the amount of proceeds an organization receives from small games of chance: organizations making less than $40,000 a year in proceeds from games of chance will pay $25 for a license, organizations making more than $40,000 a year in proceeds from games of chance will pay the current license fee of $100;
• Provides that a club licensee may retain the first $40,000 in games of chance proceeds for use by the club.
A00088 by Youngblood, was described as a technical amendment. The amendment was unanimously adopted.
A00097 by Boback, adds a “poker run” as a small game of chance. The amendment was unanimously adopted.
A00099 by Boback, requires clubs to maintain records for two years. The amendment was unanimously adopted.
Rep. Jerry Knowles (R-Schuylkill) commended Rep. Brooks and spoke in favor of the bill. “I do believe this is good, sensible legislation and I would urge an affirmative vote.”
Minority Chairman Rosita Youngblood also spoke in favor of the bill. “I agree we need to address concerns specifically for small organizations and I think this legislation starts the process of getting that done,” she stated. “For me personally, I think we need to free up the Liquor Control Enforcement (LCE) from going after small, nonprofit clubs and allow them to focus on nuisance bars in Philadelphia. This is the main reason I support this bill. LCE should not be wasting resources on a small nonprofit while nuisance bars in Philadelphia are running wild.”
Rep. Ed Neilson (D-Philadelphia) expressed concern about the legislation. “There are provisions in this bill I can’t agree with such as the Department of Revenue oversight; it has no business being in the Department I think we have to keep it with the House and the Senate,” he stated. “Also the Texas Hold ‘Em, I think there needs to be some more oversight language spelled out in this legislation. There’s no reason why we can’t take our time with this bill.” Regarding Department of Revenue oversight, Rep. Brooks stated “we tried to restrict the language to keep it only small games because our fear is we have not thought of every single organization and their small game so that’s why we allowed Revenue” to have oversight. She added “we wanted to give Revenue the opportunity to help those small organizations by putting restrictions on what they can approve but not making it so cumbersome and lengthy that it could be ten years from now before that small game that somebody made $2,000 at is approved.”
Rep. Peter Daley (D-Washington) pointed out “if the governor had not granted a one year stay on the reporting requirement the urgency of this bill would be much greater.” He added, “I have two American Legions I know of in western Pennsylvania who are out of business and maybe two more this week; it’s important we do something and move it quickly.”