2022 Regular Session

ByRepresentatives Boehnke, Sutherland, and Jacobsen

Read first time 01/20/22.Referred to Committee on Commerce & Gaming.

AN ACT Relating to increasing flexibility for bona fide charitable or nonprofit organizations to conduct raffles; amending RCW 9.46.0277; creating a new section; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

NEW SECTION. Sec. 1. The legislature finds that many service-based organizations provide much needed value and service to their communities, and a source of fund-raising for these organizations is hampered by their inability to offer modern purchase methods. The legislature also finds that due to the pandemic, people are less able to participate in in-person events and gatherings. The legislature also finds that due to laws that restrict a nonprofit organization's ability to fund-raise using these easier methods, they are falling behind. Therefore, the legislature intends to ease the restrictions on selling raffle tickets for these nonprofits so they can continue to provide valuable service to their communities.

Sec. 2. RCW 9.46.0277 and 2009 c 133 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

"Raffle," as used in this chapter, means a game in which tickets bearing an individual number are sold for not more than one hundred dollars each and in which a prize or prizes are awarded on the basis of a drawing from the tickets by the person or persons conducting the game, when the game is conducted by a bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization, no person other than a bona fide member of the organization takes any part in the management or operation of the game, and no part of the proceeds thereof inure to the benefit of any person other than the organization conducting the game. If an organization obtains a license from the commission, the sale of a raffle ticket, pursuant to this chapter, may be made in person, by mail, by fax, or by telephone. Raffle ticket order forms may be printed from the bona fide charitable or nonprofit organization's website. A website or mobile application may not be used to facilitate the sale of raffle tickets other than to obtain the raffle ticket order form.

NEW SECTION. Sec. 3. Section 2 of this act takes effect January 1, 2023.