As a member of the House Majority Policy Committee's initiative to combat poverty in Pennsylvania, Rep. Rosemary Brown, R-Monroe/Pike, is continuing her efforts to authorize and regulate savings promotion raffles in the state.

Savings promotions raffles are financial products offered by banks or credit unions that give depositors a chance to win prizes as they build savings. These financial products are sometimes called "no-lose lotteries" because the depositor's balance is never at risk.The Pennsylvania Credit Union Association recently voted its support for Brown's bill.Studies have confirmed that nearly half of American households, 44 percent, have insufficient savings to cover three months of expenses.Currently, 10 other states in the U.S. operate similar programs to the one Brown is working to establish in Pennsylvania. Participants in those states have mostly shown signs of positive improvement, including a 35 percent increase in fund balances, on average, she said.Each credit union would create its own program. This plan would be implemented at no cost to the state.Brown plans to reintroduce this measure in the 2015-16 legislative session.Contact Brown's district office in East Stroudsburg at 696 Seven Bridge Road, Suite 101, East Stroudsburg, by calling 570-420-8301. Information on current legislation can be found on RepBrown.com and Facebook.com/RepRosemaryBrown.