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Senate GOP to Move Legislation Fixing Gambling Law Flaws
Rules Proposal Deemed
Insufficient
HARRISBURG -- Senate
Majority Leader David J. Brightbill (R-Lebanon) and Senate Republican Policy
Chairman Joe Conti (R-Bucks) today said that only legislation will remedy
intense and justifiable public concerns over the recently approved slots law,
particularly a provision allowing legislators to have an ownership interest in
slots companies.
“It’s clear to us that mere
rules of a legislative chamber -- no matter how well-intentioned -- cannot
prohibit a member of the General Assembly from engaging in any lawful business
or profession, perhaps not even prohibit any lawful investment,” Brightbill
said. “There must be a law.”
“We’ve certainly heard from the
public about the one percent ownership issue, which we must address,” Conti
said. “Although initially it appeared a rules change might work, pursuing this
correction through statute is the right way to go.”
A measure introduced by Senator
John Pippy (R-Allegheny) to eliminate the one percent ownership threshold --
which is actually a 100 percent threshold for slots suppliers and manufacturers
-- will be scheduled for committee action tomorrow.
Brightbill said he expects the
full Senate to consider the bill, Senate Bill 1209, next week. SB 1209 is
co-sponsored by all 29 Republican senators and seven Democrats.
Brightbill said that while many
situations can be properly addressed through legislative rules, the issue of
slots ownership and other reforms needed in the gambling law cannot be. “We owe
Pennsylvanians something that will work over the long run -- a strong,
clear-cut, enforceable law,” he said.
Brightbill, a staunch gambling
opponent, pointed out that this is not an effort to repeal Act 71, the law which
authorized slot machines in Pennsylvania. “Since Ed Rendell is still governor,
even if the General Assembly somehow voted to repeal Act 71, he would veto it,”
Brightbill said. “It would then take a two-thirds vote to override that veto --
and no one thinks that is possible. Our focus should be on making the existing
law as clean as possible.
“A rule can be approved
quickly, but it does not truly begin to cover the full range of officials who
should be brought under the prohibition, such as local officials and party
officials,” Brightbill added.
Senate Bill 1209 currently
is in the Senate State Government Committee, chaired by Senator Charles Lemmond
(R-Luzerne).
Video clips:
Brightbill
Conti
Pippy
Senators
Joe Conti, John Pippy and David Brightbill
speak to reporters on Sept. 28 about legislation that would remedy intense and
justifiable public concerns over the recently approved slots law,
particularly a provision allowing legislators to have an ownership
interest in slots companies.
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