Representative Perales Testifies for HB 325

Veterans pack the house for Sponsor Testimony on HB325

The introduction of House Bill 325 in the Ohio Legislature marked an important first step for Veterans and Fraternal Organizations, who seek to clarify existing law regarding electronic charitable gaming. Since the Bill was introduced by Representative Rick Perales (R-Beavercreek), the next step was to hear testimony from sponsors, proponents and opponents of the Bill.
 
The first of those testimonies began today at the Ohio Statehouse.
 
Before a packed room of veterans and fraternal organization members, Representative Perales delivered his supportive testimony in favor of HB 325.  While there are still many things that must happen before the Bill eventually ends up on Governor John Kasich’s desk, this is an important first step. Representative Perales’s testimony is presented below.
 
The OVFCC applauds Representative Perales and all supporters of HB 325.  Please stay tuned to this space for all information about HB 325 and the OVFCC.
 
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HB 325 Sponsor Testimony

Representative Rick Perales

Ohio House Policy & Legislative Oversight Committee

Feb. 11, 2014

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and members of the committee, for the opportunity to present House Bill 325.
 
Veterans and fraternal organizations in this state play a vital role in our communities.  They provide a place of community for our returning warriors, they help veterans in need of a hand, and they support local charities that are so vital to people of this state.  These organizations help homeless veterans pay for housing; they pay for furniture and appliances for families of active duty men and women who need a little help to make ends meet; they pay for burial costs of veterans and family members who can’t afford it; they build decks and wheelchair ramps for disabled veterans so they enjoy the simple pleasure of spending time outside and breathing fresh air; and they help fund veterans affairs claims agents who literally help bring hundreds of millions of dollars back to Ohio’s veterans in the way of federal grants.  They help children with learning and developmental disabilities.  And all this doesn’t even begin to describe all of the work they do in our communities.
 
For years veterans and fraternal organizations have been permitted by Ohio law to raise funds to support their organizations and local charities through paper forms of bingo.  However, as technology has improved and video gaming is become prevalent in Ohio, many of these organizations are struggling to survive with a diminished interest in paper forms of bingo.  A number of posts in this state have been forced to close and many are in immediate danger of closing.  Several posts in this state currently have their properties up for sale because they are unable to generate enough revenue to support their organizations….all because they have been unable to keep up to date with more modern and entertaining forms of charitable gaming.
 
House Bill 325 would fix this problem by simply allowing veterans and fraternal organizations to play the same forms of bingo they already play, but in a more entertaining video format, called “charitable video bingo.”
 
The Attorney General already regulates paper forms of charitable gaming.  House Bill 325 has been approved by the Attorney General from a regulatory perspective.  It gives the Attorney General authority over a centralized “Report Management System” which runs the entire gaming system and maintains all financial data, and requires all gaming devices and terminals to interface with the system.  This will ensure all funds are tracked and accounted for in a transparent way.  This will also ensure that charitable contributions are made to designated 501c3 charities.
 
The bill also gives the Attorney General the authority to license multiple vendors based on stringent criteria and requires video gaming supplies to be tested by a laboratory certified by the Ohio Casino Control Commission and the Ohio Lottery Commission.
 
And finally, the bill sets limits on the number of video gaming terminals allowed per location based upon membership.
 
House Bill 325 would give veterans and fraternals a legal, accountable, transparent and charitable mechanism to continue raining funds and providing the great service to our communities.
 
I encourage all of my colleagues on this committee to support HB 325.