Download This Bill in Microsoft Word format
A254, R280, H5034
STATUS INFORMATION
General Bill
Sponsors: Rep. White
Document Path: l:\council\bills\bbm\9459dg16.docx
Introduced in the House on March 3, 2016
Introduced in the Senate on April 28, 2016
Last Amended on May 24, 2016
Passed by the General Assembly on June 2, 2016
Governor's Action: June 7, 2016, Signed
Summary: Bingo
HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS
Date Body Action Description with journal page number
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3/3/2016 House Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 7)
3/3/2016 House Referred to Committee on Ways and Means
(House Journal-page 7)
4/20/2016 House Committee report: Favorable Ways and Means
(House Journal-page 352)
4/26/2016 House Read second time (House Journal-page 26)
4/26/2016 House Roll call Yeas-91 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 27)
4/27/2016 House Read third time and sent to Senate
(House Journal-page 15)
4/28/2016 Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 15)
4/28/2016 Senate Referred to Committee on Finance (Senate Journal-page 15)
5/18/2016 Senate Committee report: Favorable with amendment Finance
(Senate Journal-page 19)
5/19/2016 Scrivener's error corrected
5/24/2016 Senate Committee Amendment Adopted (Senate Journal-page 68)
5/24/2016 Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 68)
5/24/2016 Senate Roll call Ayes-40 Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 68)
6/1/2016 Senate Read third time and returned to House with amendments
(Senate Journal-page 38)
6/2/2016 House Concurred in Senate amendment and enrolled
(House Journal-page 53)
6/2/2016 House Roll call Yeas-110 Nays-0 (House Journal-page 53)
6/2/2016 Ratified R 280
6/7/2016 Signed By Governor
6/14/2016 Effective date 06/07/16
6/14/2016 Act No. 254
View the latest legislative information at the website
VERSIONS OF THIS BILL
3/3/2016
3/11/2016
4/20/2016
5/18/2016
5/19/2016
5/24/2016
(A254, R280, H5034)
AN ACT TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 12-21-4320 SO AS TO REQUIRE THE DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE TO ESTABLISH AN INFORMATIONAL CHARITABLE BINGO WEBPAGE ON ITS WEBSITE; TO AMEND SECTION 12-21-3940, RELATING TO APPLICATIONS FOR A BINGO LICENSE BY NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS AND PROMOTERS, SO AS TO EXTEND THE TIME BY WHICH THE DEPARTMENT MUST RESPOND; TO AMEND SECTION 12-21-3990, RELATING TO THE MANNER OF PLAYING BINGO, SO AS TO PROVIDE THE MANNER IN WHICH CERTAIN DEVICES MUST BE OPERATED; TO AMEND SECTION 12-21-4000, RELATING TO PROCEDURES APPLICABLE TO THE CONDUCT OF BINGO, SO AS TO INCREASE THE ALLOWANCE FOR PROMOTIONS; TO AMEND SECTION 12-21-4005, RELATING TO THE OPERATION OF BINGO GAMES, SO AS TO EXCLUDE CERTAIN RAFFLES; TO AMEND SECTION 12-21-4090, RELATING TO BINGO CHECKING AND SAVINGS ACCOUNTS, SO AS TO ALLOW THE PROMOTER TO MAKE CERTAIN CONTRIBUTIONS, TO REQUIRE THAT ALL EXPENSES RELATED TO THE BINGO OPERATION MUST BE PAID FROM THE OPERATIONS BINGO ACCOUNT, AND TO ALLOW FOR ELECTRONIC PAYMENTS; TO AMEND SECTION 12-21-4190, RELATING TO THE DISTRIBUTION OF BINGO REVENUES, SO AS TO INCREASE THE PERCENTAGE THAT IS DISTRIBUTED TO CHARITY; AND TO AMEND SECTION 12-21-4200, RELATING TO THE DISBURSEMENT OF BINGO REVENUES, SO AS TO ENSURE A DISBURSEMENT TO THE DEPARTMENT OF PARKS, RECREATION AND TOURISM.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:
Bingo webpage
SECTION 1. Article 24, Chapter 21, Title 12 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 12-21-4320. (A) The department shall establish a bingo webpage on its own website, for the purpose of serving as a clearinghouse for information and access to the Bingo Tax Act and its implementation and regulation. The link also must contain access to information pertaining to licenses, the manner in which to file complaints, and clarifying issues the department finds in connection with violations of the Bingo Tax Act.
(B) In addition to the purposes set forth in subsection (A), the webpage also must include a process for submitting questions to the bingo division of the department."
Bingo license response
SECTION 2. Section 12-21-3940(B) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"(B) Upon application for a license, the department has forty-five days to approve or reject the application based on the requirements of this article."
Bingo devices
SECTION 3. Section 12-21-3990(A)(6) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"(6) All devices, including the master-board, used to show what numbers have been called during a game must not be intentionally changed, obstructed, or turned off by the promoter until the winners are verified."
Bingo promotions
SECTION 4. Section 12-21-4000(15) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"(15) The house may hold promotions of special events during a session offering players prizes other than from the play of bingo not to exceed two hundred dollars in cash or merchandise for each session. This amount is not to be paid out of the bingo account and is not included in total payouts for a session. There is no additional charge to players to participate in a special promotion. The promotion must not require any consideration for participation."
Bingo games excludes raffles
SECTION 5. Section 12-21-4005 of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"Section 12-21-4005. The operation of the bingo games excludes machines and lottery games, including video poker lottery games, prohibited by Sections 12-21-2710, 16-19-40, and 16-19-50. The operation of the bingo games also excludes raffles as defined in Section 33-57-110."
Promoter contribution to bingo account, expenses paid from operations account
SECTION 6. Section 12-21-4090(C) and (D) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"(C) An organization receiving an annual license to conduct bingo shall establish and maintain one regular checking account designated the 'bingo account' and also may maintain an interest-bearing savings account designated the 'bingo savings account'. All funds derived from the conduct of bingo, less the amount awarded as cash prizes, must be deposited in the bingo account. Other funds may not be deposited in the bingo account, unless there is a deficit, and then both the organization and promoter shall deposit a loan equal to fifty percent of the deficit. If the organization is unable to make the fifty percent contribution, the promoter may deposit one hundred percent of the deficit which the balance must be, at the election of the promoter and with the consent of the nonprofit organization, carried as either a loan or a charitable donation to the organization from the promoter. Each loan to an organization from the promoter must be authorized in writing by a duly authorized officer of the licensed nonprofit organization. The promoter only may have recourse to these loans from the funds in the charitable bingo account. Each loan deposited into the bingo checking account must be accounted for on the quarterly financial reports filed with the department. Detailed information substantiating these loans must be maintained by the organization. Deposits must be made no later than the next business day following the day of the bingo occasion on which the receipts were obtained. All accounts must be maintained in a financial institution in this State.
(D) All expenses related to the charitable bingo operation must be paid from the operations bingo account. Funds from the bingo account must be withdrawn by preprinted, consecutively numbered checks or withdrawal slips, jointly signed by a properly authorized representative of the licensed nonprofit organization and promoter and made payable to a person or organization or by electronic methods or recurring online payments. Electronic payments must be authorized by a duly authorized representative of the licensed nonprofit organization and promoter in writing. Checks must be imprinted with the words 'Bingo Account' and must contain the organization's bingo license number on the face of the check. There also must be noted on the face of the check or withdrawal slip the nature of the payment made. No check or slip may be made payable to 'cash', 'bearer', or a fictitious payee. All checks, including voided checks and slips, must be kept and accounted for."
Distribution of bingo revenues
SECTION 7. Section 12-21-4190(B) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"(B) The revenue retained must be distributed as follows:
(1) twenty-eight percent of the revenue must be distributed to the sponsoring charity for which the bingo cards were purchased. The department shall make the distribution to the sponsoring charity by the last day of the next month following the month the revenue was collected. Distributions pursuant to this subsection must be reduced by any delinquent debts as defined in the Setoff Debt Collection Act;
(2) seventy-two percent pursuant to Section 12-21-4200."
Disbursement of bingo revenues to the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
SECTION 8. Section 12-21-4200(2) and (3) of the 1976 Code is amended to read:
"(2) Twenty and eight-tenths percent of the annual revenue derived from the provisions of Section 12-21-4190(2), or two and one-half million dollars each fiscal year, whichever is greater, must be deposited by the State Treasurer in a separate fund for the Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism entitled the Parks and Recreation Development Fund. Interest earned by this fund must be added to it and credited to its various accounts in the same proportion that the annual allocation to each account bears to the total annual distribution to the fund. Unexpended amounts in the various fund accounts must be carried forward to succeeding fiscal years except as provided in Section 51-23-30. Fund proceeds must be distributed as provided in Chapter 23 of Title 51.
(3) Subject to the distribution in item (2), seventy-two and fifteen one-hundredths percent of the annual revenue derived from the provisions of Section 12-21-4190(2) must be deposited with the State Treasurer and credited to the general fund, except that the first one hundred thirty-one thousand of such revenues each year must be transferred to the Commission on Minority Affairs."
Time effective
SECTION 9. This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.
Ratified the 2nd day of June, 2016.
Approved the 7th day of June, 2016.
This web page was last updated on June 28, 2016 at 5:08 PM