Bill Text: NJ AJR15 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced


Bill Title: Establishes "Casino Gaming Study Commission" to evaluate impact of enacted casino gaming regulatory reforms and explore future prospects for casino gaming in Bergen County.

Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Democrat 6-2)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-16 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee [AJR15 Detail]

Download: New_Jersey-2014-AJR15-Introduced.html

ASSEMBLY JOINT RESOLUTION

No. 15

STATE OF NEW JERSEY

216th LEGISLATURE

 

PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2014 SESSION

 


 

Sponsored by:

Assemblyman  RALPH R. CAPUTO

District 28 (Essex)

Assemblywoman  SHEILA Y. OLIVER

District 34 (Essex and Passaic)

Assemblyman  JOHN J. BURZICHELLI

District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)

Assemblywoman  VALERIE VAINIERI HUTTLE

District 37 (Bergen)

 

Co-Sponsored by:

Assemblymen Prieto and Dancer

 

 

 

 

SYNOPSIS

     Establishes "Casino Gaming Study Commission" to evaluate impact of enacted casino gaming regulatory reforms and explore future prospects for casino gaming in Bergen County.

 

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

     Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

  


A Joint Resolution establishing the "Casino Gaming Study Commission."

 

     Be It Resolved by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

 

     1.    There is hereby established the "Casino Gaming Study Commission."

     a.    The commission shall consist of 13 public members, to be appointed as follows:

     (1) four members to be appointed by the Senate President;

     (2) two members to be appointed by the Senate Minority Leader;

     (3) four members to be appointed by the Assembly Speaker;

     (4) two members to be appointed by the Assembly Minority Leader; and

     (5) one member to be appointed by the Governor.

     Any vacancy in the membership of the commission shall be filled in the same manner in which the original appointment was made.

     b.    It shall be the duty of the commission to evaluate the impact of recently enacted statutory and regulatory reforms with respect to casino gaming in this State, and to explore future prospects for the establishment of casino gaming in Bergen County.  For the purposes of the commission, recently enacted statutory and regulatory reforms shall include all legislation and reform measures enacted and implemented since the beginning of calendar year 2010 with respect to the casino gaming industry in this State, except that this time period requirement shall not prevent the commission from evaluating these recently enacted legislative measures and regulatory reforms in historical perspective.  Specifically, the commission shall:

     (1) evaluate the impact that recently enacted casino gaming legislation, regulatory reforms, and technological reforms have had on the conduct of casino gaming in this State, with special attention to matters such as, but not limited to, whether the enacted legislation and reforms have benefited or not the economic viability and integrity of casino gaming in this State, and whether the enacted legislation and reforms have had any negative impact on such component of the gaming industry and on the State, its gaming revenue funds, and its population; and

     (2) consider whether casino gaming should be expanded beyond the geographic boundaries of Atlantic City, specifically to Bergen County, which consideration shall include research and discussion of the benefits and drawbacks of such expansion for the gaming industry, the State's economy, and the State's population. 

     c.    The members of the commission shall be appointed within 60 days following the date of enactment of this act, P.L.   , c.   (pending before the Legislature as this bill).  The commission shall organize as soon as practicable after the appointment of its members, and shall select a chairperson from among its membership, and a secretary who need not be a member of the commission.  The presence of four members of the commission shall constitute a quorum.  The commission may conduct business without a quorum, but may only vote on recommendations when a quorum is present.  The commission shall be entitled to call to its assistance and avail itself of the services of the employees of any State, county, or municipal department, board, bureau, commission, authority, or agency as it may require and as may be available to it for its purposes.  Members of the commission shall serve without compensation, but shall be entitled to employ stenographic and clerical assistance and incur traveling and other miscellaneous expenses as it may deem necessary in order to perform its duties, within the limits of funds appropriated or otherwise made available to it for its purposes.  The commission may meet at the call of its chairperson at the times and in the places it may deem appropriate and necessary to fulfill its duties, and may conduct public hearings at such place or places as it shall designate.

     d.    The commission shall, within one year of its organization, issue a report of its findings and conclusions, together with any recommendations it may have for legislative or regulatory action, to the Governor and, pursuant to section 2 of P.L.1991, c.164 (C.52:14-19.1), to the Legislature.  The commission shall expire on the 30th day after the date of the issuance of its final report.

 

     2.    This joint resolution shall take effect immediately.

 

 

STATEMENT

 

     This joint resolution establishes the "Casino Gaming Study Commission," to consist of 13 public members.  Of the total membership, four would be appointed by the President of the Senate; two by the Senate Minority Leader; four by the Speaker of the General Assembly; two by the Assembly Minority Leader; and one member would be appointed by the Governor.

     Under the resolution, the commission would evaluate the impact of recently enacted casino gaming statutory revisions, regulatory reforms, and technological reforms, and would explore the future prospects for casino expansion to Bergen County.  The commission would review the impact of all casino industry legislation and reform measures enacted and implemented in this State since the beginning of calendar year 2010, but this time period requirement would not prevent the commission from evaluating these recently enacted legislative measures and reforms in historical perspective.

     The resolution further provides that the members of the commission would be appointed within 60 days from the enactment of the resolution, and would issue a report one year from the date of its organization.  The commission would submit the report, together with any recommendations it may have for legislative or regulatory action, to the Governor and the Legislature, and would expire 30 days after the issuance of its final report.

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