Share:
House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2019 - 2020
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 6, 2019 11:14 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Jim Marshall |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Charitable 50/50 Raffle |
| I intend to introduce next week legislation to create the Sports Raffles Charity Act and remove existing 50/50 athletic event raffle language from the Local Option Small Games of Chance statute. Additionally, the bill will expand the current program to collegiate teams that compete on behalf of an institution of higher education, and permit the use of credit cards and debit cards when purchasing 50/50 chances. Legislation was enacted in 2012 to permit non-profit organizations affiliated with all the commonwealth's major league sports teams - Major League Baseball, the National Football League, National Basketball League, National Hockey League, and Major League Soccer - to conduct 50/50 raffles. Half of the proceeds from the raffle sales go to a designated charity and the other half as the prize amount. This legislation has proven to be an excellent tool for charities to raise money. Under the existing statute, each qualifying team must have an established charitable affiliate, which is able to localize where the raised money would go. States across the country have adopted this form of athletic event raffles for professional and collegiate sporting events. However, as currently written, the program is limited to professional teams and their minor league affiliates and only cash purchases are allowed. My legislation will bring Pennsylvania's program in line with those in other states. I hope you will join me in this effort by co-sponsoring this legislation. Thank you. |
Introduced as HB826