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Niello Opposes Legislation To Ban Charity Bingo Machines
Bill could eliminate bingo fundraising for many Sacramento County charities
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Citing the need to slow down and wait for a decision pending in federal court, Assemblyman Roger Niello has voted to oppose legislation that will effectively eliminate electronic bingo for many Sacramento County charities and hundreds of charities statewide.
Sacramento County Charities such as the Society for the Blind, the Stanford Home for Children, WIND Youth Services which provides services for homeless children, Disabled Sports USA, and Saddle Pals, an organization that provides horseback riding therapy to many developmentally disabled children, annually raise millions of dollars for their cause in Sacramento County Bingo halls with the use of electronic bingo. SB 1369 (Cedillo) will effectively eliminate the ability of these charities to raise this money by banning electronic bingo and establishing a “remote caller” system of bingo that has proven to be ineffective in other jurisdictions.
“This issue is currently before a federal court which will soon render a decision regarding the legality of the electronic machines. There is no need to jump the gun with legislation that has been amended at the last minute and rammed through the legislature that will have such a devastating effect on these charities until the decision from the court has been delivered. The Legislature has had a standing practice of not getting in the middle of pending court decisions, and this issue should be no different,” said Assemblyman Niello.
Sacramento County has established a county ordinance that allows electronic bingo to be played in local bingo halls with staff made up of volunteers. Last year, Sacramento County Charities took in over $4.5 million dollars that will have to be replaced through other means if this legislation is approved by the legislature and signed by the Governor.
SB 1369 was approved by the State Assembly and sent to the State Senate.
