Delaware General Assembly


CHAPTER 61

CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT

AN ACT AGREEING TO THE PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO SECTION 17 OF ARTICLE TWO OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE.

WHEREAS, an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Delaware was proposed to the 118th General Assembly as follows:

An Act Proposing An Amendment To Section 17 Of Article Ii Of The Constitution Of The State Of Delaware Relating To Lotteries.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Delaware (two-thirds of all the Members of each Branch thereof concurring therein):

Section 1. Article 2 of the Constitution of the State of Delaware is hereby amended by adding a new section, to be known as Section 17A thereto to read as follows:

Section 17A. The game of Bingo shall be lawful when sponsored and conducted by Volunteer Fire Companies, Veteran's Organizations, Religious or Charitable Organizations, or by Fraternal Societies provided the net receipts or profits arising from the conducting or operating of such Bingo games by the aforementioned Companies, Organizations, or Societies are used solely for the promotion or achievement of the purposes of such Companies, Organizations, or Societies, and provided further that the aforementioned Companies, Organizations or Societies are operated in a manner so as to come within the provisions of Section 170 of the U. S. Revenue Code and Regulations promulgated thereunder by the U. S. Secretary of the Treasury.

1. The General Assembly shall provide by law for the submission to the vote of the qualified electors of the several districts of the State, or any of them, mentioned in subparagraph 2 of Section 17A of this article at the General Election

held in 1958, the question whether the playing of the game of "Bingo" shall be licensed or prohibited within the limits thereof; and in every district in which there is a majority against license, no organization, mentioned in Section 17A, shall thereafter sponsor or permit the playing of "Bingo", within said district, until at a subsequent submission of such question a majority of votes shall be cast in said district for license. Whenever a majority of all the members elected to each House of the General Assembly by the qualified electors in any district named in subparagraph 2 of Section 17A of this Article shall request the submission of the question of license or no license to a vote of the qualified electors in said district, the General Assembly shall provide for the submission of such question to the qualified electors in such district at the next general election thereafter.

2. Under the provisions of this Article, Sussex County shall comprise one district, Kent County shall comprise one district, the City of Wilmington, as its corporate limits now are or may hereafter be extended, one district, and the remaining part of New Castle County, one district.

3. The General Assembly shall provide necessary laws to carry out and enforce the provisions of this Article, enact laws governing the game of "Bingo" under the limitations of this Article, and may provide such penalties as may be necessary to enforce same," AND

WHEREAS, the said proposed amendment was agreed to by two-thirds of all the members elected to each House in the said 118th General Assembly,

NOW, THEREFORE

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Delaware (two-thirds of all the Members elected to each Branch concurring therein):

Section 1. The said proposed amendment is agreed to and adopted and shall forthwith become a part of the Constitution.

Effective April 23, 1957.