Bill Text: NJ A4291 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Permits volunteer fire company or volunteer first aid or rescue squad licensed to conduct bingo games to use public building for operation of bingo games under certain circumstances.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2015-03-16 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee [A4291 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-A4291-Introduced.html
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman RONALD S. DANCER
District 12 (Burlington, Middlesex, Monmouth and Ocean)
SYNOPSIS
Permits volunteer fire company or volunteer first aid or rescue squad licensed to conduct bingo games to use public building for operation of bingo games under certain circumstances.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As introduced.
An Act concerning the operation of bingo games in public buildings and amending P.L.1957, c.57.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Section 2 of P.L.1957, c.57 (C.5:8-49.3) is amended to read as follows:
2. An organization may, for the purpose of holding, operating and conducting games of chance under the Bingo Licensing Law rent or use premises not owned by such organization upon compliance with the provisions of this act. No such rental or use shall be permitted unless the commission shall determine that the payment to be made for such rental or use of the premises is fair and reasonable and that the rentors of said premises are approved rentors under this act, except that officially recognized volunteer fire companies and officially recognized volunteer first aid or rescue squads licensed to conduct games of chance may use multi-purpose space within a public building or on public property, that is generally available for public use, and is under the supervision and control of the municipality, for the operation of bingo games in a municipality in which the Bingo Licensing Law has become operative. Any such rental or use of a public space would be subject to the municipality's rental or usage fee for the space, although a municipality shall have the discretion to waive such fee. Consent by the municipality to such use shall not be unreasonably withheld. A municipality shall not be required to obtain a license as an approved rentor pursuant to section 4 of P.L.1957, c.57 (C.5:8-49.5) for the use of its public space for bingo games by an officially recognized fire company or officially recognized volunteer first aid or rescue squad, and the officially recognized volunteer fire company or officially recognized volunteer first aid or rescue squad shall only be required to notify the commission 30 days prior to the operation of bingo games of the date of the intended use of public space for the conduct of bingo games and of any rental or usage fee charged to the organization conducting such bingo games.
(cf: P.L.1957, c.57, s.2)
2. This act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill would permit an officially recognized volunteer fire company, officially recognized volunteer first aid squad, or officially recognized volunteer rescue squad licensed to conduct bingo games to use space in a public building or on public property for bingo games that is generally available to the public for other uses. Further, this bill would no longer require a municipality to obtain a rentor's license for the operation of a bingo game by one of the aforementioned organizations in a public building. At present, a municipality must apply for a rentor's license from the Legalized Games of Chance Control Commission to host bingo games.
Additionally, this bill would require that consent to the operation of a bingo game from a municipality not be unreasonably withheld. If a space within a public building is generally available to the public for other purposes, then the space must also be generally available to officially recognized volunteer fire companies, officially recognized volunteer first aid squads, or officially recognized volunteer rescue squads licensed to conduct bingo games for the purpose of conducting bingo games.
Under this bill, any other desired use of a public space for bingo games by other organizations or entities licensed to conduct bingo would still require the commission to approve the municipality as an approved rentor, as is required under current law.
