HOUSE BILL REPORT

                 ESB 5269

             As Reported By House Committee On:

                      Commerce & Labor

Title:  An act relating to raffle tickets.

Brief Description:  Raising the maximum cost for raffle tickets to twenty‑five dollars.

Sponsors:  Senators Rasmussen, Pelz, Heavey, Winsley, Franklin, Oke and Deccio.

Brief History:

  Committee Activity:

Commerce & Labor:  3/30/95 [DP].

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE & LABOR

Majority Report:  Do pass.  Signed by 10 members:  Representatives Lisk, Chairman; Hargrove, Vice Chairman; Thompson, Vice Chairman; Romero, Ranking Minority Member; Conway, Assistant Ranking Minority Member; Cairnes; Cody; Cole; Goldsmith and Horn.

Staff:  Pam Madson (786-7166).

Background:  Charitable or nonprofit organizations can conduct raffle games and sell individual raffle tickets for no more than $5 each.  Funds generated from raffle ticket sales are used to fund the programs and operations of the charitable and nonprofit organizations.

Summary of Bill:  The limit on individual raffle ticket prices is increased from $5 to $25.

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Requested on March 21, 1995.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.

Testimony For:  Raffles are fund raising events for charitable organizations.  A $5 raffle ticket is hardly cost effective for prizes of high value such as cars or houses.   People are willing to pay much more for a chance on such a prize and may buy several tickets that must be recorded and accounted for.  This increases the bookkeeping requirements that must be done by volunteer members of the organizations.  The Gambling Commission has been working with groups to improve their ability to use raffles for fund raising purposes.  Raffles are working well and these changes do not create an expansion of gambling.  Twenty-five dollars allows more flexibility.   The type of prize will determine what people are willing to pay for a chance to win.

Testimony Against:  None.

Testified:  Senator Rasmussen, prime sponsor; Rance Block and James Williams, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation; and Frank Miller, Washington State Gambling Commission.