American charities push for vote on bingo bill

The bill, House Bill 169, would boost by thousands of dollars the maximum payouts from small games of chance -- punchboards, raffles and so on -- put on as fundraisers by nonprofit organizations. Proponents say the change is needed to keep the games appealing in an era of slots gambling and multistate lotteries.

The bill is before the Senate Appropriations Committee, which Armstrong chairs. A similar bill, Senate Bill 845, has been stalled since June before the same committee.

"We just want things to percolate with Sen. Armstrong," said Emmet Mahon, a spokesman for Harrisburg-based Allied Charities of Pennsylvania, which lobbies for fraternal and charitable organizations.

The Refton Republican is already on record as opposing the bill. The Senate Finance Committee approved the bill 9-1 in October, with Armstrong the lone dissenter.

Mahon said Allied Charities wants the bill voted on in committee and sent to the Senate. The group believes the bill has enough support to pass in both venues.

"We've always said we respect his position, and if he feels free to vote 'no' in committee and if he needs to vote 'no' in the full Senate, that's fine," Mahon said. "We don't have a problem with that. What we can't understand is how one person would prevent a bill from clearing committee and going to the full Senate."

Mahon said he's attempted to contact Armstrong but has not been able to talk to him directly.

Armstrong, however, said Sunday he doesn't believe Mahon has tried to contact him.

"I'm pretty easy to get ahold of," he said. "All he has to do to meet with me is call."

Armstrong said committee members are still studying the bill.

"We just got it a month ago," he said.

He could not say when the bill might come up for a vote.

The bill would allow daily payouts to increase from $1,000 to $5,000 and weekly payouts up to $20,000.

To run small games of chance, organizations are required to obtain a state-issued license. The bill would change the licensing fee from $100 every year to $300 every two years.

Mahon said small games of chance are facing stiff competition from legalized slots gambling in Pennsylvania, and the cost of operating the games has increased.

"Not only don't we have a better chance of marketing ourselves, but with the declining revenues ... it's dispiriting to members of our organization," Mahon said.

The House passed the bill in June by a 173-27 vote, with seven of the "nay" votes coming from Lancaster County Republicans. Democratic state Rep. Mike Sturla of Lancaster city voted in favor of the bill.

Armstrong said he voted against the bill when it came before the finance committee because he thinks the liberalized payouts are excessive.

"They're talking about a lot of money," he said. "I expect we'll hear a lot of lobbying from both sides of the issue on this."

State Rep. Gordon Denlinger, a Narvon Republican, said although the games can benefit charities, fire companies and veterans' organizations, that's not enough to redeem them in many Lancaster Republicans' eyes.

"Small games of chance ... are a form of gambling and the Lancaster County members pretty much across the board take opportunities to register our opposition to gambling at any opportunity," Denlinger said. "Involvement in bingo and other similar activities is still viewed as not entirely proper by a lot of residents across our county."