High rollers in the senior centers across the state?

Bills affecting our constituents are often brought before legislative committees during the session. This week’s no-brainer bill came before us in the Senate Business, Labor & Economic Affairs Committee.

House Bill 264, sponsored by Rep. Pat Ingraham, R-Thompson Falls, exempts senior citizen centers from licensing requirements for bingo and live card games.

“High roller” games in Heron and Noxon were closed down by the Montana Department of Justice because they didn’t have an operator’s license for “gaming.”

Never mind that most of the gamblers were over the age of 60. Never mind that they were part of the local senior citizens center there to play their weekly bingo game. Never mind that the games offered such big ticket items as a free lunch or the opportunity to play another game without paying a quarter for the board.

“Everyone must be treated fairly under the law,” the department said.

They had decided these types of friendly afternoon events at the local centers were put in the same class as the other “for profit” games played across Montana on the reservations and in large bingo halls.

Unknowingly, there are probably 140 other senior centers which haven’t been closed yet due to the enforcement procedure used in Noxon and Heron, but they could be next if this bill didn’t pass.

We passed the bill out of committee on a unanimous vote, since none of us want to go home and tell our seniors that they can no longer play bingo or cards for prizes.

So play on my friends, enjoy the camaraderie, have a free lunch and win another card.

We hope seniors will sleep better tonight knowing that they won’t be denied the opportunity to again enjoy the afternoon with friends. Legislators have your back on this one.

Sen. Dee Brown, R-Coram, represents Senate District 2, Whitefish and Columbia Falls.