HARRISBURG – Area legislators today applauded the Department of Revenue for giving local nonprofit and charitable organizations more time to comply with new financial reporting requirements.
The original deadline of February 1, 2013 was pushed back one year to February 1, 2014 after concerns were raised by the legislature about local organizations not having ample time to prepare reports in accordance with the new law.
“The legislature continues to work on this issue to ensure our local organizations and fire companies can keep up the great charitable work in our communities,” said Senator David G. Argall (R-29). “Our goal is to update this outdated law to help our local nonprofits keep more money to help with community projects and initiatives. Extending this deadline allows local groups to take advantage of the extra time to understand this new law.”
The Pa. General Assembly updated the Small Games of Chance law in Act 2 of 2012, which required annual reporting.
“Over the past few months, I’ve listened to groups like the volunteer firefighters and the VFWs, and I held a local small games of chance seminar for officials to answer questions from local organizations regarding the new updates to the law,” said Representative Doyle Heffley (R-122). “The overall resounding response I gathered from individuals representing these organizations was that updates to the law have created too much confusion over what is allowable and how the law is being enforced. This delay simply gives these organizations more time to adapt to the new requirements.”
“I’m pleased that Gov. Corbett and the Department of Revenue listened to concerns that I and the other members of the county delegation expressed about the need to postpone implementing reporting requirements so that they can be improved,” Representative Neal Goodman (D-123) said. “The intent of this legislation is to help valuable service organizations increase earnings from small games of chance, not overburden them with paperwork. I’m sure this will be corrected soon.”
“I’m pleased that the Governor has decided to hold off on the filing deadline for Small Games of Chance,” said Representative Jerry Knowles (R-124). “This will give the struggling, hard-working organizations more time to get better acquainted with just what the law will require of them.”
“I support this extension because we made some important changes to Pennsylvania’s Small Games of Chance laws, including making 50/50 raffles legal,” said Representative Mike Tobash (R-125). “I plan to continue to work on this issue and reintroduce my legislation to wave the recording requirement for small organizations like boosters and gun clubs.”
Contact: Jon Hopcraft
(717) 787-2637
(570) 773-0891