Senate Republicans Join Efforts to Reform PA's Gambling Law 

HARRISBURG -- Senators Jeffrey Piccola (R-15), Jane Orie (R-40), Patricia Vance (R-31), Jake Corman (R-34), and Mike Waugh (R-28) today joined 8 of their colleagues in unveiling a comprehensive plan to make major structural reforms to the two-year-old gambling law.

 

Efforts to reform the gambling law extend back over one and a half years when Governor Rendell vetoed legislation that would have made a number of reforms to the law including revisions pertaining to slot machine suppliers and granting power to the Attorney General to prosecute gambling-related crime. The 21 bill Senate Republican package is designed to:

• Repair loopholes;

• Enhance the accountability of the Gaming Control Board and improve the administration of the law;

• Improve oversight by the Attorney General and the General Assembly over the conduct of gaming in Pennsylvania.

"Since the Governor’s veto, problems and controversy have continued to surround the Gaming Board. Its hiring practices have been criticized, and the conduct of its employees, including criminal conduct, has brought a cloud of suspicion over an agency which should be above reproach," Corman said.

 

"Recent developments, such as the Governor's transfer of money from the State Police and Department of Revenue to the Gaming Board without the authority of the General Assembly, as well as the numerous ethical issues raised when high ranking public officials and children of influential lobbyists receive supplier licenses, cry out all the more for legislative action to end the erosion of public trust in the Gaming Board," said Vance.

 

"Yesterday, Lynn Swann said that Pennsylvania’s Gambling Law had more holes than a piece of swiss cheese. My legislation is designed to close one of those many loopholes. Presently, Section 1512 of the Act pertaining to 'Public Official Financial Interest' prohibits public officials from holding a financial interest in any ‘licensed racing entity or licensed gaming entity," said Waugh.

 

The bill package is being sponsored by Senators Corman, Earll, Orie, Piccola, Pippy, Rafferty, Regola, Robbins, Vance, Waugh, Mary Jo White, and Wonderling. In addition to eliminating the involvement of minors in all gaming enterprises, the package will include Pippy's original legislation to eliminate the 1 percent ownership provision.

 

"It is clear that Pennsylvania's statute is defective and has facilitated the 'appearance of impropriety' in the licensure process. The defects in the law which made it ripe for political influence and manipulation must be reformed," Piccola said.

 

Piccola, Vance, Corman, and Waugh have been working with the group of Senators and together have made progress on the necessary reforms. Discussions between the caucuses during June led to a draft amendment prior to recess, but the complexity of issues and lack of time to adequately consider the proposal made it unwise to move quickly.

 

"Both supporters and opponents of Pennsylvania's gambling law agree that the law is in need of significant reform," Vance said. "These bills take some important steps to make the conduct of gaming more accountable to the citizens of this Commonwealth and lessen the possibility for corruption. Although I did not support the gambling expansion, now that it is in effect, the priority is to strengthen the law and amend provisions that will clarify the integrity and accountability of the process."

 

"Our package contains the long-sought reforms that are needed to ensure that we have proper oversight of the Gaming Control Board and common-sense safeguards in place. These are important and necessary reforms that even gaming proponents can be supportive of," said Corman.

 

"The public has seen the problems that arise when the Legislature moves in haste on a complex issue. Our package of bills will lay out the issues we believe are important to address so that these ideas are part of the public discussion," added Piccola.