Gaming Reform Passes Senate
Legislation would restore ban on campaign contributions and open the public hearing process

July 7, 2009 - The Senate today passed a sweeping reform of the Gaming Act in a bipartisan effort to improve the openness, transparency and accountability of the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

The legislation, SB711, restores the ban on campaign contributions by casino operators, and makes more than two dozen other modifications to the Gaming Act.

Sen. Farnese joined Sen. Bob Mellow (D-Lackawanna), Sen. Jane Earll (R-Erie) and other colleagues in crafting the legislation. A key component of the bill is a requirement that the Gaming Control Board hold public hearings and accept public comment whenever a casino seeks to redesign on relocate. Currently, the decision to hold such hearings and allow public comment is at the discretion of the Gaming Control Board.

“I pledged during my campaign that I would work to make this process more open,” Farnese said, adding, “I’m pleased that the people who are most affected by casinos will now have the right to a real voice in casino development.”

Farnese said he wanted to help eliminate the frustration many residents have felt over the process surrounding the redesign of the SugarHouse casino and possible relocation of the Foxwoods facility. Both are in his district and only a few hundred feet from residential neighborhoods. The legislation would also require hearings addressing redesign or relocation to be held in the communities where the casinos are located.

“People should not have to take a day off work and rent a bus to have their voices heard,” Farnese explained.

The legislation also prohibits gaming board members from holding outside employment, and keeps board lawyers from immediately going to work for casinos after leaving the gaming board.

Additionally, SB711 greatly expands the information about an applicant’s criminal history that can be considered by the Gaming Control Board during the licensing process. Earlier this year, information surfaced that a top official for the proposed Foxwoods casino in Center City was a convicted drug dealer whose records had been expunged. The Gaming Control Board did not consider the conviction when awarding the license.

A complete summary of the bill’s provisions is here.

###