A bill has been passed by the state Senate subcommittee that will allow churches and other non profit groups to raise money through gambling.

The bill says that state laws against gambling would not apply to non profit organizations that have organized cards or dice games when the games are be played for the purpose of fundraising and the games can only be played for a "limited duration".

The bill has passed in the subcommittee Thursday and will now make its way to the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is chaired by Senator Glenn McConnell a Republican from Charleston, he is also the sponsor of this new gambling bill.

The South Carolina Baptist Convention had fought against video poker and the creation of the state's lottery so they are sure to not be very thrilled with the bill that will allow gambling within churches. Joe Mack the director of the Conventions Office of Public Policy Issues says that the bill "would be a huge expansion of gambling".

At the subcommittee no one spoke in favor of the new bill, Mason Hardy president of the South Carolina Association of Non Profit organizations did speak, but his group is not taking a stand either for or against the bill at this time.





- 2008-02-15