A Democrat legislator has introduced a bill to reform bingo playing in Arkansas; it would include repealing the one-cent bingo card tax, raise prize funds in bingo game sessions, decrease the cost of a bingo permit and increase the number of sessions bingo operators can play per week from two to three.
Rep. Tracy Pennartz, D-Fort Smith introduced House Bill 1111 on Thursday. She said: “This bill puts forth some appropriate revisions from the original legislation passed in 2007. I hope the people will understand the revisions and hopefully make this whole process cleaner and more efficient.”
Bingo was approved in 2006 in Arkansas by voters who said authorised organisations should be allowed to run bingo for charity fundraising. The one cent bingo card tax was introduced in 2007 to pay for a five-man legislative team to make sure funds were being correctly raised.
