Bill Text: MS HB1074 | 2013 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Gaming; courses related to service industry may be taught at certain institutions of higher learning.
Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Republican 6)
Status: (Failed) 2013-02-05 - Died In Committee [HB1074 Detail]
Download: Mississippi-2013-HB1074-Introduced.html
MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2013 Regular Session
To: Gaming; Universities and Colleges
By: Representatives Bennett, Crawford, DeLano, Guice, Haney, Patterson
House Bill 1074
AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 75-76-34, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO PROVIDE THAT CERTAIN COURSES RELATED TO EMPLOYMENT IN THE GAMING INDUSTRY MAY BE OFFERED AT STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING, ONLY IN THOSE COUNTIES WHERE GAMING IS LEGALLY BEING CONDUCTED AND THE PARTICULAR INSTITUTION OFFERING SUCH COURSES IS LOCATED OR HAS A BRANCH; TO PROVIDE THAT STATE INSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING OFFERING SUCH COURSES SHALL NOT BE SUBJECT TO REGULATION BY THE MISSISSIPPI GAMING COMMISSION; TO AMEND SECTIONS 75-76-55 AND 37-101-13, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, IN CONFORMITY TO THE PROVISIONS OF THIS ACT; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:
SECTION 1. Section 75-76-34, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
75-76-34. (1) Except as
otherwise provided in this section, the Mississippi Gaming Commission is
authorized to regulate all schools or training institutions that teach or train
gaming employees. * * * No such school shall be located on
publicly owned property, * * *and other than property under the jurisdiction of a state
institution of higher learning. Except as authorized under this section,
no public school shall teach or train persons to be gaming employees. The
gaming educational activities of schools or training institutions
regulated by the commission and of state institutions of higher learning
shall be deemed to be legal under the laws of the State of Mississippi. Any
person desiring to operate a school or training institution other than a
state institution of higher learning must file a license application with
the executive director to be licensed by the commission.
(2) The commission may adopt regulations it deems necessary to regulate schools and training institutions other than state institutions of higher learning. These regulations shall, without limiting the general powers of the commission, include the following:
(a) Prescribing the method and form of application which any applicant for a school or training institution must follow and complete before consideration of his application by the executive director or commission.
(b) Prescribing the information to be furnished by the applicant relating to his employees.
(c) Requiring fingerprinting of the applicant, employees and students of the school or institution or other methods of identification and the forwarding of all fingerprints taken pursuant to regulation of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
(d) Requiring any applicant to pay all or part of the fees and costs of investigation of the applicant as may be determined by the commission.
(e) Prescribing the manner and method of collection and payment of fees and costs and issuance of licenses to schools or training institutions.
(f) Prescribing under what conditions a licensee authorized by this section may be deemed subject to revocation or suspension of his license.
(g) Defining the curriculum of the school or training institution, the games and devices permitted, the use of tokens only for instruction purposes, and the method of operation of games and devices.
(h) Requiring the applicant to submit its location of the school or training institution, which shall be at least four hundred (400) feet from any church, school, kindergarten or funeral home. However, within an area zoned commercial or business, the minimum distance shall not be less than one hundred (100) feet.
(i) Requiring that all employees and students of the school or training institution be at least twenty-one (21) years of age.
(j) Requiring all employees and students of the school or training institution to wear identification cards issued by the commission while on the premises of the school or training institution.
(k) Requiring the commission to investigate each applicant, employee and student and determine that the individual does not fall within any one (1) of the following categories:
(i) Is under indictment for, or has been convicted in any court of, a felony;
(ii) Is a fugitive from justice;
(iii) Is an unlawful user of any controlled substance, is addicted to any controlled substance or alcoholic beverage, or is an habitual drunkard;
(iv) Is a mental defective, has been committed to a mental institution, or has been voluntarily committed to a mental institution on more than one (1) occasion;
(v) Has been discharged from the Armed Forces under dishonorable conditions; or
(vi) Has been found at any time by the executive director or commission to have falsified any information.
(3) State institutions of higher learning may offer credited courses specifically relating to gaming management, including, but not limited to, courses that provide instruction in accounting, hospitality, marketing, auditing, finance, procurement, security and regulatory requirements in fulfillment of a degree in general business management, hotel and motel management, food and beverage management, gaming management, accounting or criminal justice. State institutions of higher learning are not subject to regulation by the commission for the purposes of this subsection. The courses authorized by this subsection may be offered only in those counties where gaming is legally being conducted and where the institution is located or has a branch.
(4) State institutions of higher learning may offer courses related to casino hospitality services, cage and count operations, and slot machine maintenance. Slot machine maintenance training may be performed only on equipment approved by the commission for training purposes only. State institutions of higher learning are not subject to regulation by the commission for the purposes of this subsection. The courses authorized by this subsection may be offered only in those counties where gaming is legally being conducted and where the institution is located or has a branch.
SECTION 2. Section 75-76-55, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
75-76-55. (1) Except as otherwise provided in Section 75-76-34, it is unlawful for any person, either as owner, lessee or employee, whether for hire or not, either solely or in conjunction with others, without having first procured and thereafter maintaining in effect a state gaming license:
(a) To deal, operate, carry on, conduct, maintain or expose for play in the State of Mississippi any gambling game, including, without limitation, any gaming device, slot machine, race book or sports pool;
(b) To provide or maintain any information service the primary purpose of which is to aid the placing or making of wagers on events of any kind; or
(c) To receive, directly or indirectly, any compensation or reward or any percentage or share of the money or property played, for keeping, running or carrying on any gambling game, including, without limitation, any slot machine, gaming device, race book or sports pool.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in Section 75-76-34, it is unlawful for any person knowingly to permit any gambling game, including, without limitation, any slot machine, gaming device, race book or sports pool to be conducted, operated, dealt or carried on in any house or building or other premises owned by him, in whole or in part, by a person who is not licensed pursuant to this chapter or by his employee.
SECTION 3. Section 37-101-13, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:
37-101-13. It shall be the duty of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning to begin immediately a comprehensive study of the role and scope of all of the various institutions under its jurisdiction, including a detailed study of the programs of study, degrees and courses offered. Following the completion of such study, the board shall make such adjustments as may be found to be necessary in the programs of the various institutions, to the end that the broadest possible educational opportunities shall be offered to the citizens of this state without inefficient and needless duplication. Subject to the provisions of Section 75-76-34, the board shall, through such officers of the board and through such procedures as it shall see fit to establish, exercise continuing jurisdiction and control over the establishment of new courses of study, new departments and new functions and activities in each institution so that the growth and development of the program of higher education in the state shall proceed in an orderly and rational manner, inefficient and needless duplication may be avoided, and new expanded programs will be undertaken only as the same may become justified, based upon objective criteria to be established by the board. In carrying out the purposes of this section, particular attention shall be given to the extension programs of the various institutions. The board, in conjunction with the chancellor and presidents of the institutions of higher learning, shall take such steps as may be necessary to improve and coordinate such programs and shall exercise such direct control over the establishment, organization, operation and granting of credit for such programs as may be necessary to accomplish such purposes.
SECTION 4. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2013.
