Bill Text: NJ S746 | 2014-2015 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Establishes "New Jersey Gaming Industry Study Commission" to evaluate impact of enacted gaming and technological reforms and explore future prospects for casino gaming and horse racing in this State.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 2-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2014-01-14 - Introduced in the Senate, Referred to Senate State Government, Wagering, Tourism & Historic Preservation Committee [S746 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2014-S746-Introduced.html
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
216th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2014 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Senator PAUL A. SARLO
District 36 (Bergen and Passaic)
Senator STEPHEN M. SWEENEY
District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)
SYNOPSIS
Establishes "New Jersey Gaming Industry Study Commission" to evaluate impact of enacted gaming and technological reforms and explore future prospects for casino gaming and horse racing in this State.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel
An Act establishing the "New Jersey Gaming Industry Study Commission."
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. There is hereby established the "New Jersey Gaming Industry Study Commission."
a. The commission shall consist of seven voting members, to be appointed as follows:
(1) three members of the Senate, two of whom shall be appointed by the Senate President, and one of whom shall be appointed by the Senate Minority Leader;
(2) three members of the General Assembly, two of whom shall be appointed by the Assembly Speaker, and one of whom shall be appointed by the Assembly Minority Leader; and
(3) one member of the public, who shall 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 gaming statutory revisions, regulatory reforms, and technological reforms with respect to casino gaming and horse racing in this State, to explore future prospects, and to make recommendations for both of these components of the gaming industry in this State. For the purposes of the commission, recently enacted legislation and reforms shall include all legislation and reform measures enacted and implemented since the beginning of calendar year 2010 with respect to the casino and horse racing components of the gaming industry in this State, except that this time period requirement shall not prevent the commission from evaluating these recently enacted legislative measures and reforms in historical perspective. Specifically, the commission shall:
(1) evaluate the impact that recently enacted 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 impact on such component of the gaming industry and on the State, its gaming revenue funds, and its population;
(2) evaluate the impact that recently enacted gaming legislation, regulatory reforms, and technological reforms have had on the conduct of horse racing 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 horse racing in this State, and whether the enacted legislation and reforms have had any impact on such component of the gaming industry and the State, its gaming revenue funds, and its population; and
(3) make recommendations based upon the findings pursuant to paragraphs (1) and (2) of this subsection.
c. The members of the commission shall be appointed five years 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. The commission shall conduct its meetings in accordance with the "Senator Byron M. Baer Open Public Meetings Act," P.L.1975, c.231 (C.10:4-6 et seq.).
d. The commission shall issue an interim report within 15 months of its organization, and a final report within 30 months of its organization, which shall contain its findings and conclusions, together with any recommendations it may have for legislative or regulatory action. Both repots shall be submitted 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 act shall take effect immediately.
STATEMENT
This bill establishes the "New Jersey Gaming Industry Study Commission," to consist of seven members. Three members would be State Senators, two to be appointed by the Senate President and one by the Senate Minority Leader; three would be members of the General Assembly, two to be appointed by the Assembly Speaker and one to be appointed by the Assembly Minority Leader; and one would be a member of the public, to be appointed by the Governor.
Under the bill, the commission would evaluate the impact of recently enacted gaming statutory revisions, regulatory reforms, and technological reforms with respect to casino gaming and horse racing in this State, would explore future prospects, and would make recommendations concerning both of these components of the gaming industry in this State. The commission would review the impact of all legislation and reform measures enacted and implemented in this State since the beginning of calendar year 2010 with respect to the casino and horse racing components of the gaming industry, but this time period requirement would not prevent the commission from evaluating these recently enacted legislative measures and reforms in historical perspective.
The bill provides that the members of the commission would be appointed five years following the bill's enactment, and would require the commission to issue an interim report within 15 months of its date of organization, and a final report of its findings and conclusions, together with any recommendations it may have for legislative or regulatory action, to the Governor and the Legislature, within 30 months from its date of organization. The commission would expire 30 days of the issuance of its final report.
