Hawley wants governor to sign Charitable Gaming Act allowing credit cards for raffles
Assemblyman Steve Hawley (R-Batavia) announced today that the 2017 Charitable Gaming Act has been delivered to Gov. Cuomo for his approval or veto. The bipartisan measure, ushered through the Legislature this spring, provides a host of benefits to charitable organizations and non-profits that hold raffles and fundraisers across the state.
Hawley has been fighting for this bill to become law ever since the cancellation of the Stafford Fire Department’s classic car raffle.
“Gov. Cuomo now has the unilateral power to do what is right for the tens of thousands of churches, fire departments, non-profits and charitable organizations that raise money to support themselves or help the less fortunate throughout our state,” Hawley said.
The governor and Legislature earlier this year approved some updates to the state’s gaming laws, including expanding the definition of an “authorized organization” to include volunteer ambulance workers and organizations that have been in existence for one year, allowing television and internet advertising of raffles and allowing personal checks to be acceptable payments for games of chance.
Hawley said the legislation earlier this year didn’t go far enough. The latest proposal would allow groups to accept credit and debit cards as a form of payment for raffles, resulting in higher revenues raised for the organizations.
Hawley thanked Sen. Patrick Gallivan (R-Elma), Sen. Rob Ortt (R-North Tonawanda) and Sen. Michael Ranzenhofer (R-Amherst) for pushing the bill in the Senate and Assemblyman Robin Schimminger (D-Buffalo) for introducing the legislation in the Assembly.
Hawley urged residents to call on Gov. Cuomo to sign the Charitable Gaming Act into law by calling the governor’s office at 518-474-8390 or writing:
The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo
Governor of New York State
NYS State Capitol Building
Albany, NY 12224
