HB588

As a newly formed Non Profit in NH, I oppose this bill.

The earnings from the horse racing should be paid to the 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.

I oppose this bill. Please vote ITL.

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.

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 removing the requirement that historic horse race licensees distribute proceeds of charitable gaming to charitable organizations like us. Our mission is to help NH women facing loss of work and higher medical bills during treatment for breast cancer by paying some of 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 all around the state.

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

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.

This bill presents potentially devastating effects on many NH non-profits. Non-profits exist in this state to serve the communities and do the work that the private sector and/or state/local government can't or doesn't. Many of the services provided are life changing and these organizations often operate on shoestring budgets and grass roots funding efforts; it is the nature of the beast. The organizations who've established annual event relationships with NH Charitable gaming organizations rely on the revenue received as a critical funding component. To suggest capping funds that would dramatically effect some organizations with the idea of "spreading the wealth" to others is a potential travesty in the making. While in a perfect world there would be enough funding for all non-profits to never have to worry about the bottom line, the system is imperfect and we learn to operate within it. As a small business owner I have always tried to support local causes where I could. But what those causes were and how much was contributed has always been my decision. I couldn't possibly support every organization I wanted to, and spreading what I could offer over several organizations would have far less impact than choosing a few. The same should be true for any organization in the state that provides services garnering revenue for the benefit of another. The state should not usurp that process by restricting free choice and/or randomly determining a dollar figure it thinks is an organizations "fair share". Even if the state felt the need to seriously consider the potential of a charitable gaming revenue cap to any organization, it could not possibly do so in good conscience, and without dramatic consequence, unless undertaking a full accounting of all non-profit organizations in the state. It would need to know how much benefit opening up potential charitable gaming revenue opportunities to every other non-profit in the state as a result of a cap would acrually provide. It would also need to be clearly understood how capping revenue would effect all organizations currently receiving more than whatever cap may be considered. This is where the proposed change could cause the most harm. While every non-profit exists to serve the greater good,, not all are created equal. I run a free prom dress event every year. Since its inecption, over a 1000 students have been able to attend prom who may not otherwise have been able to do so. Funding is almost not existing and I wonder each year if it will be able to continue. While it's a wonderful effort, it cannot compare to the amazing, life-altering services of other organizations such as the Kremples Brain Injury Center. Started from scratch, by a brain injury survivor, to build previously non-existent support services; Kremples is now a thriving operation 25 years on. Helping Brain injury survivors throughout the state and beyond return to work, re-learn how to communicate, have a caring supportive community, and discover everything they still are and have to offer is an exceptional undertaking. The funding to support such a program is an on-going effort and comes from many avenues established over the years. A annual charitable gaming event is one of those avenues and a huge revenue line-item. To have that revenue decreased, potentially dramatically, could absolutely mean cutting staff, programs and services that otherwise do not exist. This bill is not just about re-arranging the possibile distribution of charitable gaming proceeds. Its about the potentially negative effect on jobs, critical services, and real lives.

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.

This is a test from IT of entering negative testimony.

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.

This will significantly impact how my agency funding.

Horse racing in NH has long supported the necessary and enriching work of our non profits. In this legislation instead of those winnings being devoted to support non profits the bill would direct funds to a centralized lottery commission that is not empowered to support non profit organizations who generate millions in revenue for the state of NH and who provide jobs, human services, cultural and civic engagement opportunities for all of New Hampshire. Please recognize the threat to NH's economy that this bill would have and vote for this bill to be inexpedient to legislate.

I am writing to express my strong opposition to House Bill 588-FN, which proposes redirecting revenue from historic horse racing (HHR) pari-mutuel pools away from charitable organizations and into the New Hampshire Lottery Commission for deposit into the Education Trust Fund. This bill represents a troubling shift—not just in fiscal policy, but in the values that New Hampshire holds dear: community-based support, fiscal responsibility, and limited government intervention. Currently, over $12 million annually from HHR revenue goes directly to nonprofits that provide essential services across the state—food banks, homeless shelters, mental health programs, veterans’ services, youth outreach initiatives, and more. These organizations are the lifeblood of our communities, addressing needs that government programs often cannot reach efficiently or effectively. HB 588-FN seeks to strip this funding from local nonprofits and place it into the hands of a state-run bureaucracy, fundamentally undermining the purpose of charitable gaming, which was created to support charitable causes, not to serve as a revenue stream for government agencies. What’s particularly concerning is how this bill runs counter to New Hampshire’s identity. Ours is a state known for its commitment to small government and local control—values reflected in our motto, “Live Free or Die.” According to the Pew Research Center, a significant portion of New Hampshire residents prefer smaller government with fewer services, emphasizing individual responsibility and community-driven solutions over centralized state control. HB 588-FN contradicts this ethos by expanding government’s reach at the direct expense of the nonprofit organizations that exemplify self-reliance and community support. This bill also raises questions about legislative priorities. Why are we diverting funds away from organizations that are already solving problems on the ground—often with greater efficiency and lower overhead than government programs—only to funnel that money into a state bureaucracy? The answer isn’t clear, but the impact will be: reduced services for vulnerable populations, increased pressure on already strained local resources, and a shift away from the very principles that make New Hampshire unique. While I fully support the need for strong public education funding, this should not come at the cost of gutting community-based services. Public education and nonprofit support are not mutually exclusive, and the solution to budget gaps should not involve pitting essential services against one another. There are other avenues to explore for funding education without dismantling the financial backbone of New Hampshire’s charitable organizations. In conclusion, HB 588-FN is antithetical to New Hampshire’s values of small government, local control, and community empowerment. It diverts resources away from organizations that know how to stretch every dollar to make a real difference and hands it to a state agency with no guarantee of the same level of impact. I urge the committee to reject this bill and stand with the nonprofits that serve as the heart of our communities. Thank you for your time and consideration.

There's a reason for charitable gaming in the state. That reason/need has not disappeared. Stop trying to take things away from the people of NH.

Nonprofits rely upon these revenues to provide critical services for our communities. This bill would limit revenue and result in a reduction of many desperately needed services for our community. Please oppose this bill and allow the charitable gaming to do what it was intended to do in the first place, support local nonprofits.

The Raymond Coalition For Youth is a vital organization that needs these funds to continue in order to provide continuing prevention programs for the youth and community in the greater Raymond area. Please keep these funds coming!

Non profits should not be responsible for making up for the state's short fall of income. Non profits are for the good of your state, your constituents, your families. Interfering with their hard earned income stream is unfair. You have other options.

Dear Honorable Members of the House Ways and Means Committee, I am writing today to urge you to vote no on HB588. Please do not vote to eliminate the requirement that historic horse race licensees distribute earnings to charitable organizations and have these earning be distributed to the Lottery Commission. Nonprofits are working tirelessly, many with little or no staff and relying on volunteers, to provide critical services to the most vulnerable people in NH. These nonprofits, including those helping with affordable housing for individuals with intellectual developmental disabilities and others, working with teens to keep them safe, off the streets and from committing suicide, supporting individuals who are victims of domestic and sexual abuse, working with people who are living with cancer, substance misuse disorder, the elderly and so much more, use these funds to support critical programs that help individuals in NH find and use services that the state does not provide. Balancing budgets by taking much needed funds from nonprofits risks undermining essential services that our communities rely on. I urge you to vote no on HB588. Thank you for considering.

Community Crossroads, one of the 10 Non-Profit Area Agencies that provide supports to people with Developmental Disabilities relies heavily on the proceeds from charitable gaming to plug the growing budget holes that affect its ability to provide those needed supports. The agencies have so few ways to raise the funds to fill those needs and charitable gaming has been a godsend. Vote NO on this bill and support people with Developmental Disabilities.

February 3, 2025 Dear Honorable Members of the House Ways and Means Committee, I am writing today to urge you to vote no on HB588. Please do not vote to eliminate the requirement that historic horse race licensees distribute earnings to charitable organizations and have these earning be distributed to the Lottery Commission. Nonprofits are working tirelessly, many with little or no staff and relying on volunteers, to provide critical services to the most vulnerable people in NH. These nonprofits, including those helping with affordable housing for individuals with intellectual developmental disabilities and others, working with teens to keep them safe, off the streets and from committing suicide, supporting individuals who are victims of domestic and sexual abuse, working with people who are living with cancer, substance misuse disorder, the elderly and so much more, use these funds to support critical programs that help individuals in NH find and use services that the state does not provide. Balancing budgets by taking much needed funds from nonprofits risks undermining essential services that our communities rely on. I urge you to vote no on HB588. Thank you for considering. Sincerely, Alexandra Ascani