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| 2 | 2 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 772 FILED ON: 1/14/2025 |
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| 3 | 3 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1275 |
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| 4 | 4 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 5 | 5 | | _________________ |
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| 6 | 6 | | PRESENTED BY: |
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| 7 | 7 | | John C. Velis |
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| 8 | 8 | | _________________ |
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| 9 | 9 | | To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General |
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| 10 | 10 | | Court assembled: |
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| 11 | 11 | | The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill: |
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| 12 | 12 | | An Act relative to recreational games at senior centers. |
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| 13 | 13 | | _______________ |
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| 14 | 14 | | PETITION OF: |
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| 15 | 15 | | NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :John C. VelisHampden and Hampshire 1 of 2 |
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| 16 | 16 | | SENATE DOCKET, NO. 772 FILED ON: 1/14/2025 |
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| 17 | 17 | | SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 1275 |
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| 18 | 18 | | By Mr. Velis, a petition (accompanied by bill, Senate, No. 1275) of John C. Velis for legislation |
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| 19 | 19 | | relative to wagering on recreational games at senior centers. The Judiciary. |
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| 20 | 20 | | [SIMILAR MATTER FILED IN PREVIOUS SESSION |
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| 21 | 21 | | SEE SENATE, NO. 1143 OF 2023-2024.] |
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| 22 | 22 | | The Commonwealth of Massachusetts |
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| 23 | 23 | | _______________ |
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| 24 | 24 | | In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court |
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| 25 | 25 | | (2025-2026) |
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| 26 | 26 | | _______________ |
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| 27 | 27 | | An Act relative to recreational games at senior centers. |
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| 28 | 28 | | Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority |
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| 29 | 29 | | of the same, as follows: |
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| 30 | 30 | | 1 Chapter 271 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting after section 22B the |
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| 31 | 31 | | 2following section:- |
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| 32 | 32 | | 3 Section 22C. (a) For purposes of this section, the term “recreational games" shall mean |
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| 33 | 33 | | 4any card game or game of chance, including but not limited to, poker, pinochle, bridge, rummy, |
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| 34 | 34 | | 5canasta, hearts, dominos, cribbage, and any type of recreational bingo in which: |
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| 35 | 35 | | 6 (i) the winnings of any player in a single game or session does not exceed $20; |
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| 36 | 36 | | 7 (ii) the amount of money contributed by a single player during the entire session is $5 or |
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| 37 | 37 | | 8less; |
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| 38 | 38 | | 9 (iii) all money wagered on the game is distributed to the players by the end of the session; 2 of 2 |
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| 39 | 39 | | 10 (iv) all players are natural persons who attend and compete in the game, in person, as a |
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| 40 | 40 | | 11contestant or bettor on equal terms with the other players therein without receiving or becoming |
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| 41 | 41 | | 12entitled to receive something of value or any profit therefrom other than his or her personal |
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| 42 | 42 | | 13winnings from the game; and |
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| 43 | 43 | | 14 (v) no person receives or becomes entitled to receive any profit, outside the winnings of a |
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| 44 | 44 | | 15player, for the arrangement or facilitation of the game or permitting the use of premises for the |
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| 45 | 45 | | 16game; |
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| 46 | 46 | | 17 (vi) the provisions of Section 22C of chapter 271 shall only apply to said recreational |
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| 47 | 47 | | 18games taking place at municipal and town senior centers in the commonwealth. |
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| 48 | 48 | | 19 (b) Nothing in this chapter shall authorize the prosecution, arrest or conviction of any |
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| 49 | 49 | | 20person for hosting or playing in a recreational game in a public or private setting; provided, |
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| 50 | 50 | | 21however, private establishments may refuse to permit the playing of such recreational games. |
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