SINKING SPRING, Pa. — Chairs were set up as supporters arrived at the Sinking Spring Fire Company Thursday evening.
The goal was to organize one final push to pass new legislation before October surrounding so-called “skill games.”
“We’re hosting an event to educate the location owners about where we are politically and with the recent court ruling,” said Jeff Millay, chief operating officer of Miele Manufacturing. “We have about 100 days left for the legislation to pass a law to keep skill games legal in Pennsylvania.”
Supporters are asking lawmakers to pass Senate Bill 1079 and House Bill 2213, which would regulate skill games and establish a monthly fee for each machine.
“We’re saying, let us pay $500 a month to have these machines in a location,” Millay said. “If they license 50,000 machines at $500 a month… there’s the $300 million.”
Organizers say the meeting was about giving local businesses, volunteer fire companies and veterans organizations the information they need before contacting their lawmakers.
“We want to bring them here together to educate them, to make sure that they know the speaking points so that they can share their stories with their legislators,” Millay said.
State Sen. Dave Argall says lawmakers are working on the issue.
“In regard to skill games, I know there are efforts underway to try to resolve this issue. The Supreme Court has put us all on a deadline,” Argall said.
Supporters say they’ll spend the next few months urging lawmakers to pass the legislation before the October 13 deadline set by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court.