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Senators

For Immediate Release
5/25/11

Senators Orie and Rafferty to Introduce Legislation in Response to Statewide Investigating Grand Jury Report on the Establishment and Issuance of Gaming Licenses

HARRISBURG – Senators Jane Orie (R-Allegheny) and John Rafferty (R-Montgomery) today announced their intention to introduce legislation consisting of the 21 recommendations released Tuesday afternoon in the report from a Statewide Investigating Grand Jury.

The legislation will propose to amend the Gaming Act to include all 21 recommendations so that each issue will be reviewed and considered. "The report clearly points out "Interpreted correctly, with a proper focus on the best interests of Pennsylvania's taxpayers, the implementation of the Act (Act 71) should have resulted in premiere gaming facilities operated by the finest venders in the Country" (page 7) and I doubt anyone can stand up and without hesitation and say this happened." said Senator Orie.

Senator Rafferty added, "unfortunately there have been significant missed opportunities for property tax relief for homeowners throughout the state and that is the real tragedy."

Included in the recommendations:

Separate the Office of Enforcement Counsel and the Bureau of Investigation and Enforcement (BIE) from the Gaming Control Board and establish BIE as an independent law enforcement agency.
Explicitly prohibit any person from serving as a member of the Board who was an applicant for or hold of slot machine license.
Require the Board to submit an annual report listing the number of executive session conducted by the Board, including an agenda for each session.
Expanding the employment prohibition of Board employees from obtaining employment with a gaming entity or any firm that represents or conducts business with any gaming entity from two year to four years.

Senators Orie and Rafferty stated that as long as there are legitimate concerns and issues with the oversight of gaming industry in the Commonwealth, we have an obligation to continue to call for reasonable reforms and more transparency.

For the full Grand Jury Report go to The Pennsylvania Attorney general's website, http://www.attorneygeneral.gov.

CONTACT:

Mike Sarfert, Office of Senator Orie
(717) 787-6538
John Gentzel, Office of Senator Rafferty
(717) 787-1398