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For Immediate Release
September 27, 2006
Senate Passes Sweeping Reform of PA Slots Law
Includes White bill
to restrict closed-door meetings by Gaming Control Board.
Harrisburg – The state Senate today
approved a major overhaul of Pennsylvania's gaming law to
guard against influence peddling and corruption, strengthen
enforcement, and ensure accountability and integrity in the
casino licensing process, according to Sen. Mary Jo White
(R-21), who supported the measure.
White said Senate Bill 862 closes a
loophole that allows public officials to hold ownership in
gaming entities and tightens restrictions on non-public
meetings by members of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control
Board, which oversees the awarded of slots licenses.
The senator noted that approval of
Senate Bill 862 came two years after Governor Rendell vetoed
a similar gambling reform bill designed to eliminate
conflicts of interest and open the process up to more public
input.
"This reform has been two years in the
making, but hopefully the governor will sign this bill,"
said White. "I didn't vote for bringing slot machines to
Pennsylvania. But if it is going to happen it must be done
in an open manner, and one that takes every possible step to
assure citizens that ethics safeguards are in place."
Senate Bill 862 includes provisions:
-
Eliminating the 1% ownership
threshold for public officials.
-
Establishing a Code of Conduct for
the Gaming Control Board.
-
Ensuring that the Gaming Control
Board is subject to the Right-to-Know Act, the Sunshine
Law, and other open-government laws.
-
Subjecting the Gaming Control Board
to the normal state budget process.
-
Clarifying the authority of the
Attorney General regarding gambling crimes.
The bill also strengthens the
prohibition on "ex parte" communication – communication
occurring outside of public Gaming Control Board meetings --
by defining ex parte communication and preventing a board
member from having an ex parte communication with "any
person" and not just with an "interested party."
"These ex-parte standards are modeled
after those used by the Public Utility Commission. With the
potential for abuse so great in the handling of slots
licenses and related matters, the Gaming Control Board
should have to follow standards at least as stringent as
that of the PUC," said White.
Senate Bill 862 was sent to the House
of Representatives for consideration.
Contact:
Leigh Ramsey
(717) 787-9684
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