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Health & Fitness

Harrisburg Should Stop Playing Games With Our VFW's and American Legions

Sometimes it’s easy to see why people have such little faith in government; unfortunately, sometimes it’s even easier to see from the vantage point beneath the Capitol dome in Harrisburg. Last week was a perfect example of how special interests and pure political nerve with little regard for the people can derail the simplest accomplishments.

 

The issue is Pennsylvania’s Small Games of Chance Law, which allows private clubs such as the American Legion and VFW, along with volunteer fire departments, to conduct small gambling contests to stay afloat financially. Last year the Legislature tried to improve the law, presumably to help these organizations, but language slipped in at the last minute made issues much more burdensome. The end result left everyone confused and virtually nobody happy.

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A fix was promised, and it looked as though that promise would become reality last week as the State Senate sent over legislation to provide changes to the Small Games of Chance Law. But once the bill, HB 1098, arrived in the House of Representatives, it became clear that this supposed solution actually created many more problems than it solved.

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The state Senate snuck in changes to HB 1098 which would expand small games of chance to thousands of bars in Pennsylvania -- the largest expansion of gambling in our state in years -- despite very real concerns that added competition could substantially hurt small clubs, groups and fraternal organizations already struggling to stay afloat.

 

These changes would allow small games of chance in as many as 9,200 bars across Pennsylvania. By taking away the exclusivity from the clubs, this legislation effectively kills their ability to support their members by keeping their doors open. The State Adjutant/Quartermaster of the PA Veterans of Foreign Wars said, “Adding the taverns into small games of chance will have a negative impact on our already hurting veteran organizations and other non-profits. We cannot support HB 1098 as long as the taverns are included.” I couldn’t have said it better myself.

 

To be blunt, I am extremely disappointed in the state Senate in general and my own State Senator Tim Solobay in particular, who voted in favor of these changes and then issued a press release stating how “pleased” he was to have supported this legislation. That is not the type of leadership our small clubs and organizations deserve on this important issue.

 

As I have stated previously to the local clubs in my district, I simply will not support any legislation that further weakens them. These organizations do far too much good in our communities for us to turn our backs on them and the many senior citizens and veterans who help keep their doors open. Even worse, this expansion of small games of chance would also take away an estimated $24 million from PA Lottery sales, which means less money for programs for our senior citizens.

  

Currently, the bill is on hold in the House of Representatives until at least the middle of November when the legislature returns to Harrisburg, so if you or any member of your family belongs to one of these organizations, please help raise awareness about this critical issue. You voice matters. In the meantime, I have reached out to all of the potentially impacted clubs and groups in my legislative district with an explanation of my position and an offer to speak about the situation.

 

It’s bad enough the Legislature didn’t get Small Games of Chance right last year. With this new slap in the face disguised as a helping hand, it’s not hard to wonder if our veterans, small clubs and senior citizens are being used as part of a whole different game being played out in Harrisburg.

 

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