CARD-PLAYING AT SENIOR CENTERS S.B. 712 (S-1): FLOOR ANALYSIS
Senate Bill 712 (Substitute S-1 as reported by the Committee of the Whole)
Sponsor: Senator Cameron S. Brown
Committee: Senior Citizens and Veterans Affairs
CONTENT
The bill would amend the Michigan Penal Code to allow recreational card playing at nonresidential senior citizen centers. Currently, Chapter 44 of the Code, which regulates gambling, does not apply to card playing at senior citizen housing facilities. The bill would extend that exemption to senior centers that are not housing facilities.
The current exemption allows recreational card playing at any senior citizen housing facility that has at least 15 members who are 60 years of age or older and play cards solely for amusement or recreation. The card playing may not be used for fund-raising, and the number of guests playing cards may not exceed the number of participating members. The facility must not be licensed by the Liquor Control Commission. Only members or employees of the group or club are permitted to conduct the card games. The conductor may not be compensated for conducting the games, and, except for winnings, any revenue generated from the card game must be used to cover expenses. The card playing must be held after 9:00 a.m. and before 12:00 midnight. The card players may not bet more than 25 cents per bet, and the winnings per hand may not be greater than $5.
Under the bill, the exemption would apply to recreational card playing conducted at a senior citizen housing facility or a senior citizen center that is not a housing facility. The card playing would have to be conducted by a club or group composed of residents of the facility or members of the center, at least 15 of whom were 60 or older. The restriction that card playing be conducted between 9:00 a.m. and midnight would not apply on a legal holiday.
MCL 750.303a Legislative Analyst: Patrick Affholter
FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would have no fiscal impact on State or local government.
Date Completed: 11-1-05 Fiscal Analyst: Bill Bowerman
Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb712/0506