Posted: | September 25, 2020 10:58 AM |
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From: | Senator Lisa M. Boscola |
To: | All Senate members |
Subject: | Legislative Package to Aid Pennsylvania Social Clubs |
I plan to introduce a package of bills aimed at helping social clubs in Pennsylvania. Just like bars, restaurants, hotels and other such businesses within the hospitality and service industry, our community social clubs are also in very difficult positions financially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, social clubs have additional limitations such an a legal inability to sell any alcohol for take out purposes, and as many are 501(c)7 entities, they were not entitled to receive PPP grants through the federal CARES Act. Our social clubs serve their communities in many ways beyond being a place to have a beverage or socialize with friends and family; they are responsible for giving out millions of dollars every year for public interest purposes, to sports programs, to homeless shelters, to YMCA’s, buying flags and providing the volunteer effort to adorn flags and makers on the gravestones of veterans, funding volunteer fire department equipment and recruitment, and the list goes on and on. It is a marathon race for businesses to survive this pandemic, and by addressing some of these issues with both a temporary and long term approach, we can help to ensure that these community assets survive this pandemic and recover well beyond. With this in mind, I am introducing a package of bills for the purpose of providing help and incentives to keep our social clubs afloat. Please join me in co-sponsoring these bills. |
Description: | #1 Establishing a $75 million open grant program for clubs and catering clubs to apply for funds until the fund is depleted. Qualified licensees would be able to utilize the money for just about anything that is needed – paying utilities, taxes, mortgages, rent, supplies, employee wages – with the exception of fines due to violation of the liquor code or small games of chance. |
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Description: | #2 Amending the liquor code to permit the sale of beer to go for members and for the duration of the disaster declaration and a period of time thereafter, the sale of mixed drinks to go. Additionally, this legislation would also grant a 4 year waiver for license renewal fees for clubs and catering clubs. |
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Description: | #3 Amending the small games of chance law to increase the use of games proceeds, including raising the current $40,000 cap to $100,000 of small games of chance proceeds which would be retained by the licensee for their use, after which would revert to a 60/40 split for public interest purposes. This initiative would also permit a wider variety of games to be played, and remove similar restrictions which limit the type and quantity of games played. |
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