§47-21-15. Payment of reasonable expenses from proceeds; net proceeds disbursement.

(a) The reasonable, necessary and actual expenses incurred in connection with the conduct of raffle occasions, not to exceed 40 percent of the gross proceeds collected during a license period, may be paid out of the gross proceeds of the conduct of the raffle, including, but not limited to:

(1) Rent paid for the use of the premises: Provided, That a copy of the rental agreement was filed with the raffle license application with any modifications to the rental agreement to be filed within 10 days of being made: Provided, however, That in no event may the rent paid for the use of any premises exceed the fair market value of rent for the premises;

(2) The cost of custodial services;

(3) The cost to the licensee organization for equipment and supplies used to conduct the raffle occasion;

(4) The cost to the licensee organization for advertising the raffle occasion;

(5) The cost of hiring security personnel, licensed pursuant to the provisions of article eighteen, chapter thirty of this code; and

(6) The cost of providing child care services to the raffle patrons: Provided, That any proceeds received from the provision of child care services shall be handled the same as raffle proceeds.

(b) The actual cost to the licensee for prizes, not to exceed the amounts as specified in section eleven of this article, may be paid out of the gross proceeds of the conduct of raffle.

(c) The cost of any refreshments, souvenirs or any other item sold or otherwise provided through any concession to the patrons may not be paid for out of the gross proceeds from the raffle occasion. The licensee shall expend all net raffle proceeds and any interest earned on the net raffle proceeds for the charitable or public service purposes stated in the application within one year after the expiration of the license under which the raffle occasions were conducted. A licensee which does not qualify as a qualified recipient organization may apply to the commissioner at the time it applies for a raffle license or as provided in subsection (e) of this section for permission to apply any or all of its net proceeds to directly support a charitable or public service activity or endeavor which it sponsors.

(d) No gross proceeds from any raffle operation may be devoted or in any manner used by any licensee or qualified recipient organization for the construction, acquisition, or improvement, of real or personal property except that which is used exclusively for one or more charitable or public service purposes or as provided in subdivision (3), subsection (a) of this section.

(e) The Tax Commissioner has the authority to disapprove any contract for sale of goods or services to any charitable raffle licensee for use in or with relation to any charitable raffle operation or occasion, or any lease of real or tangible personal property to any charitable raffle licensee for use in or with relation to any charitable raffle operation or occasion, if the contract or lease is unreasonable or not representative of fair market value. Disapproved contracts or leases shall be considered to be in contravention of this article, and are void. Any attempt by any charitable raffle licensee to engage in transactions under the terms of any disapproved lease or contract is grounds for revocation or suspension of the charitable raffle license and for refusal by the Tax Commissioner to renew the charitable raffle license.

(f) Any licensee which, in good faith, finds itself unable to comply with the requirements of the subsections (a) through (e) of this section shall apply to the commissioner for permission to expend its net proceeds for one or more charitable or public service purposes other than that stated in its license application or for permission to expend its net proceeds later than the one-year time period specified in this section. The application shall be on a form furnished by the commissioner and shall include the particulars of the requested changes and the reasons for the changes. The application shall be filed no later than 60 days before the end of the one-year period specified in this section. In the case of an application to extend the time in which the net proceeds are to be expended for a charitable or public service purpose, the licensee shall file such periodic reports with the commissioner as the commissioner directs until the proceeds are expended.