An update from Representative Pat Ingraham

On Tuesday, March 19, beginning at 8:00 a.m., we began work on House Bill 2, the General Appropriations Act which funds the basic operations of the state for the next two years, beginning July 1, 2013 and ending on June 30, 2015. The House took action on each section of the bill; there are five sections. While we had scheduled two days originally, we opened and closed HB 2 in its entirety in about an hour and a half.

HB 2 passed unanimously from the House Chambers. While HB 2 still has a long journey yet to go in the process, this unanimous decision of the House of Representatives was something that was quite unprecedented, something that I hope the 63rd Legislature Session will long be remembered for.

On Friday, March 22nd, I met with Governor Steve Bullock for the signing of HB 264. Director Jackie Burgess of the Sanders County Council on Aging joined us for the signing of HB 264 as she played an important role in helping provide information and testimony. Senator Fielder carried this bill on the Senate floor, but was unable to attend the signing. She helped ensure this bill reached a successful conclusion.

HB 264 is a bill I carried on behalf of those seniors and Senior Centers which were impacted by the shutdown of their bingo activities. While this impacts all of those Senior Centers in Montana, it was our centers and seniors who had been negatively impacted by actions that led to the discontinuance of their bingo. This led for the need to introduce this bill.

HB 264 became effective immediately and will exempt Senior Citizen Centers. The Centers are charitable organizations and must comply with MCA 23-5-406 which states those organizations which have a 501c (3) exemption are not required to have an operator’s license for bingo and live card games (such as bridge or pinochle) as long as they comply with 23-5-406, along with other existing laws such as MCA 23-5-310 which (1) limits participation in live card games to its members and members’ guests, (2) limits live card game activities to its main premises or place of operation, and (3) does not operate live card games in a predominantly commercial manner.

HB 2 is more than about a game of chance for our Senior Centers, because in many cases it’s their primary and ongoing fund raiser to help with senior citizen center expenses. For the seniors, it is a recreational opportunity offering them a social activity. It also provides our seniors with a number of other tangible benefits, such as physical activity, mental stimulation, personal contact with others outside of their homes and a balanced and nutritional meal shared with others (and no dishes to wash!).

I want to thank all of you who have encouraged me and supported me during this entire process in bringing this bill to a successful conclusion and now to all of my seniors, get ready, get set and go “B I N G O”!

I can be reached during the session by leaving a message for me at (406) 444-4800, by e-mailing me at pathd13@blackfoot.net, or by visiting the legislative branch website at www.leg.mt.gov and clicking the Contact a Legislator link. Instructions are provided for sending me electronic messages. You also may mail your comments to me at Representative Pat Ingraham, Capitol Building, P.O. Box 200400, Helena, MT 59620-0400.