HB1143
To Amend The Charitable Bingo And Raffles Enabling Act; And To Prohibit Raffles To Provide Funding For A Student-athlete Under The Arkansas Student-athlete Publicity Rights Act.
AI-Generated Summary
This bill, House Bill 1143, proposes an amendment to the Charitable Bingo and Raffles Enabling Act in Arkansas. Its main purpose is to prohibit the use of raffles as a method for raising funds specifically for student-athletes. This prohibition is tied to the Arkansas Student-Athlete Publicity Rights Act. The bill seeks to prevent raffles from being used to generate financial support for individuals who are student-athletes. It aims to clarify and restrict the fundraising activities that can be conducted under the charitable bingo and raffles legislation. The intent is to redirect or limit the scope of raffle fundraising to ensure it does not directly benefit student-athletes. The amendment adds a new section to the existing code to codify this prohibition. This action would alter how charitable organizations and other entities can conduct raffles within the state. The bill has a clear directive to disallow raffles for student-athlete funding.
Potential Impact Analysis
Who Might Benefit?
If this bill becomes law, potential beneficiaries include charitable organizations that currently use raffles for general fundraising purposes but may be indirectly impacted by the clarification of allowable uses. The student-athletes themselves, who might otherwise have been the recipients of funds raised through raffles, would not be direct beneficiaries of the existing raffle mechanisms under this bill, thus preserving existing structures for other charitable causes not related to student-athlete funding. The state's regulatory bodies overseeing charitable gaming could also benefit from clearer guidelines regarding the permissible uses of raffle proceeds.
Who Might Suffer?
The primary entities that would be negatively impacted by this bill are student-athletes who rely on or could potentially benefit from funds raised through raffles. Organizations or individuals who have been or might in the future conduct raffles specifically to generate financial support for student-athletes would also be directly and negatively impacted, as this method of fundraising would become prohibited. This could include booster clubs, athletic associations, or other groups that historically utilize raffles to support student athletic endeavors.