Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda

In the near future, I will introduce legislation to create the “Sports Raffle Charities Act” to extend “50/50” raffles to collegiate sports teams.

Act 184 of 2012 amended the Local Option Small Games of Chance statute to permit non-profit organizations affiliated with all of the Commonwealth’s major and minor 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 raffle sales go to a designated charity and the other half is the prize amount. Under the existing statute, each qualifying team must have an established charitable affiliate to serve as the beneficiary of these proceeds.

My legislation provides this same standard to collegiate sports teams and will bring Pennsylvania’s program in line with those in other states. This proposal will also eliminate the current “cash only” requirement for participation in these raffles by permitting the use of credit and debit cards.

Act 184 has a proven track record for professional sports teams in Pennsylvania and the time is now to extend its success to collegiate sports. For that reason, I hope you will join me in cosponsoring this measure.