HB531

I am on the board of the NH Breast Cancer Coalition. The coalition helps people diagnosed with breast cancer who are in need of financial assistance. The needs of people are great and have become greater over the past few years. Limiting the monies we receive from charitable gaming would have the potential to limit the help we are able to provide. The support the coalition provides helps with household bills, groceries and gas, to name a few. The monies we receive from charitable gaming is a very important source of revenue for the NHBCC. Denise Jeffery

I am executive director of the Aviation Museum of N.H., a 501(c)3 non-profit organization based at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport. As manager of this non-profit, I have seen first-hand the direct and beneficial effect that charitable gaming has had on our organization's ability to change the lives of young people around New Hampshire. In 2023, we received $70,000 in charitable gaming revenue; in 2024, the figure was $85,000; in 2025, we expect a similar amount. These funds have enabled us to expand our high school student plane-building program from the Manchester (N.H.) School of Technology to two additional high schools in the communities of Lebanon and Farmington. By fall 2025, we will have 40 students and an equal number of volunteer adult mentors building two-person all-metal airplanes in three schools. Charitable gaming funds help us develop programs to create tomorrow's skilled workforce to support the state's all-important aviation and aerospace sector. Unlike many non-profits, the need we fulfill is not immediate, such as food security or affordable shelter. But it is no less important. Without investing in a skilled workforce, N.H. will not be able to support the aviation and aerospace sector. Charitable gaming dollars enable the Aviation Museum to create programs so that today's young people can take their place as tomorrow's aviation pioneers and aerospace innovators. For these reasons, I urge committee members to not support this proposal to limit charitable gaming funds to individual non-profits.

I am a volunteer on the Board of Directors for New Hampshire Breast Cancer Coalition. I am also an RN @ Elliot Hospital working with newly diagnosed breast cancer patients The coalition depends directly on fundraising to assist those undergoing treatment for breast cancer with mortgage, utility payments, food, gas cards etc. please don’t restrict fundraising funds. Thank you

There should be no cap on funds earned for non-profit organizations. There are 2 breast cancer organizations that I am familiar with: New Hampshire Breast Cancer Coalition and Pink Revolution of NH that participate the charitable gaming. These and many other organizations rely on the funds to support the community and I believe the funds should not be capped.

I am opposed to this bill which will harm non-profits. We wish to Protect Nonprofit Property Tax-Exempt Status Thank you.

I oppose this bill. Please vote ITL.

This would limit a nonprofit’s ability to do the work needed by limiting the annual payment. The charities need this funding.

Committee Members: I am able to submit this testimony because of our position as a charitable gaming recipient. The NH Juvenile Court Diversion Network is funded mostly by contracts with the state, which restrict how I can support the needs of my organization on a legislative level. This funding allows me to support all 17 programs when they need it, when the restrictions of the state contract do not allow it. The introduction of HB 531 will create an undue financial burden on nonprofits operating in the state of New Hampshire, during a time that federal and state funding is already being cut from our small budgets. This organization has been a nonprofit since 1994 and has worked very hard to ensure that the funding we receive is utilized to serve more than 500 youth across the state who have come in contact with the justice system. It is our mission to provide funding support, training, accreditation, statewide data collection, and a community of practice for 17 accredited juvenile court diversion programs. Since we are funded primarily through state contracts, the money that we receive through charitable gaming allows us to provide additional support to our programs that we cannot access through restrictive state dollars. This unrestricted funding is crucial to our work providing opportunities for youth to keep them from going further into the criminal justice system. Limiting those funding opportunities to $50,000 a year could mean losing key staff members in most organizations that receive charitable gaming dollars, or not being able to provide meals and financial support to struggling families. Being on state contracts puts some nonprofits at a cash flow risk due to extended reimbursement periods - we have to spend the money first, and then ask for it back. Charitable gaming dollars allow us to operate and pay our staff while waiting on these reimbursement funds. Last year, our programs provided diversion and prevention services to 524 youth with support from our contracts and gaming dollars. HB 531 would drastically reduce the financial support that is critical for us to provide these services. Nonprofits are already struggling to provide services in our communities, and passing this bill could indeed shutter organizations and leave incredible resource gaps in already underserved communities. Sincerely, Alissa Cannon Executive Director NH Juvenile Court Diversion Network

I am opposing this bill that takes away funding from nonprofit organizations and will impact their ability to provide ongoing critical services to NH residents.

While I agree with a cap on revenue to promote fair and equal donation to charities, I disagree that excess should go to the lottery commission. Excess should rollover to the following charity to ensure all worthy causes achieve maximum payouts.

I am a member of the NH Breast Cancer Coalition board whose mission includes distributing funds to needy breast cancer patients who are in treatment and experiencing financial hardship. Their requests come through social worker at various hospitals and treatment centers across NH and are constant. We rely on the funds which we receive from our nonprofit's gaming revenue. We are completely volunteer run and have distributed over one million dollars to patients during our tenure. As a member of the committee which receives requests, I beg you to reconsider limiting these funds. Last year our donations were down $50,000 over the previous year and our requests for assistance were up over $50,000. We need every dollar we can get to distribute to those in need. Thank You for your consideration.

As a volunteer for the non-profit New Hampshire Breast Cancer Coalition, I oppose this bill placing an arbitrary cap on proceeds of charitable gaming that assist the beneficial work of nonprofits like us. Many NH women facing loss of work and higher medical bills during treatment for breast cancer rely on our ability to help by paying their daily household bills like rent, mortgage, utilities, car payments, transportation costs, etc. Since we are all volunteer with little overhead, virtually every dollar we receive from charitable gaming is used to pay bills for these needy patients.

We at Greater Salem Caregivers support over 2000 engagements with the elderly of Salem and Pelham to take them to appointments and food shopping. Without the money we would not be able to provide these services

We at Greater Salem Caregivers support over 2000 engagements with the elderly of Salem and Pelham to take them to appointments and food shopping. Without the money we would not be able to provide these services

This bill would significantly impact the many non profits who are already financially strapped to provide these essential services. It is important to remember that nonprofits are a critical support for our communities and families as valuable resources. Our non profits are able to rally volunteers and other stakeholders to do this valuable work at an administration cost far lower than our state or communities could do on their own. As a life long resident and taxpayer in NH I fully understand the challenges faced by our municipalities to fund core services, but this is not a sustainable solution.

I find this bill confusing in general, but I'm a multiple brain injury survivor and member of The David Krempels Brain Injury Center. And if I understand correctly, this bill prevents places like The David Krempels Brain Injury Center from receiving donations from charitable events like the one recently held at the Brook Casino. The David Krempels Brain Injury Center receives over $100,000 in charitable donations from that event. If it weren't for donations of that magnitude, I would not be able to attend the crucial, life-changing, indispensable and beneficial programming that The David Krempels Brain Injury Center offers because I require a full scholarship to attend. (I'm a disabled individual who has a hard enough time making it through this life on just Social Security payments and Housing Assistance, etc. I don't have any family or friends to help support me. I NEED places like The David Krempels Brain Injury Center for more than just their undeniably beneficial programming, but also for the support and company of others who understand some of my struggles. (Oh, and by the way, there’s NOTHING LIKE the David Krempels Brain Injury Center!!! It's unique and special and you will cripple their efforts with this bill!) I'm not here just advocating for myself, either. Many members of The David Krempels Brain Injury Center require a scholarship, too! Plus, it's not just the David Krempels Brain Injury Center that would suffer from this bill. The state of New Hampshire thrives because of it's strong network of nonprofit organizations which provide essential services that the government programs and private businesses often cannot. These organizations fill critical gaps and uplift our communities. The proposed changes to entertainment gaming charity funding threaten to undermine this vital support system, limiting resources for organizations that serve our most vulnerable residents. Nonprofits are not just an addition to New Hampshire–they are a cornerstone of our state’s identity and well-being. Weakening them weakens us all. I beg you to stop and take a look at what you are really doing. More people would have come forward with their testimonies but there just wasn’t any time. I’m appalled by how sneaky this has gone over. If I didn’t know someone who knew someone who knew someone, I wouldn’t even know this was happening or that I even had a say in this matter

I am on the Board of Directors for the non-profit known as the Triangle Club (Dover, NH). Our entire reason for existing is to support those in the community that suffer from alcohol and drug addiction. The passing of this bill would be detrimental to our existence in the capacity we currently do.

As a member of an organization that has received important and valuable funds from the charitable gaming, I strongly oppose this bill. I support continuing to allow non-profits to benefit from the charitable giving program without any caps.

Dear Committee Members I am writing on behalf of the Miss Lakes Region Scholarship Program, Inc. to express our opposition to House Bill 531. This legislation poses significant challenges to nonprofit organizations like ours, which rely on charitable gaming as a crucial source of funding. The proposed bill jeopardizes our ability to support scholarship programs and community initiatives designed for young women in New Hampshire. Charitable gaming has been essential in enabling us to provide scholarships, mentorship, and outreach that empower our community’s young women. By limiting or altering the framework under which charitable gaming operates, HB 531 threatens not only our organization but also diminishes the support provided to many nonprofits that serve vulnerable populations across the state. We urge you to consider the ramifications this bill may have on essential services and funding for nonprofits like ours. Thank you for your attention to this matter. Miss Lakes Region Scholarship Program, Inc. EIN # 02-0528073

My name is Larry Camerlin, President & Founder of Angel Flight New England, a nonprofit that coordinates free air transportation for children and adults who must travel outside of their geographic area for specialized care and treatment. I am requesting that the New Hampshire House of Representatives accept my online testimony regarding HB 531-FN by which I am opposing this bill. Since 1996, our organization has scheduled more than 110,000 free flights for medical patients and family members who have traveled over 16 million miles to 750+ medical facilities throughout the United States. To better serve the residents of New Hampshire, we established Angel Flight New Hampshire in 2006, so New Hampshire children and adults can access specialized medical care and treatment at no charge. We provide our free air transportation services for as long and as often as a patient / family needs our assistance. Since our partnership began in 2021, The Brook has contributed more than $400,000 to our mission making it possible for us to schedule 1,300+ flights for patients who must travel from New Hampshire to medical facilities throughout the United States. Below is a sampling of medical facilities that Angel Flight New Hampshire has flown New Hampshire patients to for treatment: • Memorial Sloan Kettering ~ New York City, NY • National Institute of Health ~ Bethesda, MD • Children’s Hospital Colorado ~ Denver, CO • Duke Univ Medical Ctr ~ Raleigh-Durham, NC • Cleveland Clinic ~ Cleveland, OH • University of California ~ San Francisco, CA • University of Virginia ~ Charlottesville, VA • Brigham & Women’s Hospital ~ Boston, MA • MA General Hospital ~ Boston, MA • University of California ~ Irvine, CA • MD Anderson Cancer Center ~ Houston, TX • VA Medical Center ~ Cincinnati, OH • VA Medical Center ~ Bath, NY • Mayo Clinic ~ Rochester, MN • Mayo Clinic ~ Jacksonville, FL • Kennedy Kreiger Institute~ Baltimore, MD • Johns Hopkins ~ Baltimore, MD • Bascom Palmer Eye Institute ~ Boston, MA • Washington University ~ St Louis, MO • Wills Eye Institute ~ Philadelphia, PA • Tampa General Hospital ~ Tampa, FL • Dana Farber Cancer Institute ~ Boston, MA • Children’s Hospital ~ Philadelphia, PA Airports in New Hampshire utilized by Angel Flight Volunteer Pilots: Manchester (MHT), Portsmouth Pease (PSM), Concord (CON), Nashua (ASH), Mt Washington Valley, Whitefield (HIE), Lebanon (LEB), Keene (EEN), Laconia (LCI). We also work closely with Veteran’s organizations to transport retired and active military personnel from New Hampshire to medical facilities for medical care as well as support services. As proposed by this bill, limiting the amount of funding raised by game of chance to $50,000 per game rooming to each charity will adversely impact our ability to support residents of New Hampshire who turn to us for assistance to travel outside of the state to medical facilities throughout the United States. Distance should never be a barrier to access medical care. With 90% of our patients receiving treatment for cancer, we are dedicated to ensuring that individuals facing cancer and rare diseases have equitable access to the highest quality of care. Our goal is to save lives, improve outcomes, and offer hope by removing the barriers of travel that can prevent patients from receiving the treatment they need. Funding from games of chance ensures that these flights are made possible and that we can continue to provide equity and access for all “Granite Staters” needing to access specialized medical care not available in their area.

I am opposing this bill that takes away funding to nonprofit organizations and will impact their ability to provide ongoing critical services to NH residents.

Charitable funding for nonprofit organizations is imperative to continue to assist our local communities. The fund-raising monies support our local communities when the state and federal government continue to lack in fully supporting individuals' that are most vulnerable in our local community's. It is saddening to see that, anyone would want to limit supportive charitable funding that assists anyone in need. Our charitable funding supports individuals with disabilities in our local communities for example assisting with paying electrical bills, helping families with paying their mortgagees to continue to stay in their homes with their children. Our charitable funding supports individuals with disabilities experience opportunities to continue to live enriching lives and experience mental and emotional support such as attending horseback riding, going to summer camps, attending dances, receiving funding to assist with modifications to their vehicles to be able to drive them safely and comfortably. The impact that, this bill would have if put into place would not be beneficial to our most vulnerable members in the State of NH.

I work for a non-profit.....Community Crossroads. We work hard to serve all of our people on our programs. If monies are no longer available due to this bill, it will have significant impact on those we serve. We rely heavily on the fundraising dollars to further assist our clients, especially when something they need is not available through their Medicaid. We help to make their lives just a little bit easier (not to mention their very low-budget wallets) to have ordinary things they may need, not just on a daily basis, but in a "pinch". Any funding taken away from us, at ANY level (as well as from all other non-profits), will be a HUGE disservice, and would take away from our organization's main goal and mission statement.....TO SERVE THOSE IN NEED! Our people in need in NH are already losing SO much on a regular basis due to recent changes in services; these people do not need, OR DESERVE, to be subject to any more losses... "Walk a mile in their shoes". I highly OPPOSE this bill!!!

This will significantly impact how my agency funding.

I strongly oppose the proposal to cap a nonprofit's annual gaming revenue from a charitable gaming partner at $50,000 per calendar year. This limitation would have a significant negative impact on the ability of nonprofits to fund vital programs and services that support the most vulnerable members of our community. Nonprofits rely on charitable gaming as an important revenue stream, especially in a time when funding from traditional sources such as donations and grants is increasingly limited. Capping their earnings at $50,000 would severely restrict their ability to generate the resources needed to address critical needs in areas such as healthcare, food security, and housing for those who are struggling. Moreover, requiring any excess revenue to be paid to the Lottery Commission for use in a special fund, rather than allowing nonprofits to reinvest it in their mission-driven work, undermines the very purpose of these charitable gaming activities. The funds raised through charitable gaming should directly benefit the communities and causes they are meant to serve, not be redirected to another governmental fund that does not address these needs directly. I urge lawmakers to consider the unintended consequences of this cap and the harm it could cause to thousands of Granite Staters who rely on the services provided by nonprofits. Rather than imposing such a restrictive limit, we should be empowering these organizations to continue their important work and ensure that all funds raised are directed toward supporting the needs of our community.