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• Introduced by Sen. Jane M. Earll (R) on June 22, 2009, to ban casino officials from contributing to the political campaigns of legislators and state officials; the bill further prohibits Gaming Control Board members from holding outside jobs; the bill also equires prospective Gaming Control Board employees to agree in writing, before they are hired, to wait at least two years after leaving the board before going to work for a law firm or other company that deals with the Gaming board .
  • Referred to the Senate Community, Economic & Recreational Development Committee on June 22, 2009.
  • Referred to the Senate Appropriations Committee on June 24, 2009.
    • Reported in the Senate on July 1, 2009.
• Passed in the Senate (47 to 1) on July 7, 2009, to make significant reforms to the law governing casinos in Pennsylvania, including: reestablishing the prohibition on political campaign contributions by individuals and entities subject to the Gaming Act; prohibiting future board members from having any outside employment; expanding the automatic felony ban provisions of the Act to include a lifetime ban on applicants with a felony conviction who seek a principal or key employee license (for all other license or permit applications, the existing automatic 15-year ban remains in place); prohibiting employees of the PGCB, including attorneys, from being employed by any regulated entity for a period of two years after leaving the PGCB; requiring the PGCB to post on its web site information related to individuals with a controlling interest or ownership interest in any licensed entity and any license applicant; and more . [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the House on July 9, 2009.
  • Referred to the House Gaming Oversight Committee on July 9, 2009.
    • Reported in the House on October 2, 2009, to legalize table games, as well as to to make significant reforms to the law governing casinos in Pennsylvania, including: reestablishing the prohibition on political campaign contributions by individuals and entities subject to the Gaming Act; prohibiting future board members from having any outside employment; expanding the automatic felony ban provisions of the Act to include a lifetime ban on applicants with a felony conviction who seek a principal or key employee license (for all other license or permit applications, the existing automatic 15-year ban remains in place); prohibiting employees of the PGCB, including attorneys, from being employed by any regulated entity for a period of two years after leaving the PGCB; requiring the PGCB to post on its web site information related to individuals with a controlling interest or ownership interest in any licensed entity and any license applicant; and more .
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Paul I. Clymer (R) on October 4, 2009, to prohibit ATM machines in Casinos. The amendment failed in the House (71 to 125) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Rob W. Kauffman (R) on October 4, 2009, to prohibit legislators from serving on the PA Gaming Control Board until one year after leaving the legislature. The amendment passed in the House (147 to 47) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Michael H. O'Brien (D) on October 4, 2009, to establish that real property located near a gaming facility may not be designated as deteriorated property . The amendment passed in the House (194 to 0) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Curt Schroder (R) on October 4, 2009, to add credit cards to the list of prohibited electronic transfer terminial options. The amendment passed in the House (195 to 0) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Paul I. Clymer (R) on October 4, 2009, to require payment for state riparian lands. The amendment passed in the House (127 to 69) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Jerry Stern (R) on October 4, 2009, to assess a $2 admission fee a casino, and use the revenue for property tax relief . The amendment failed in the House (58 to 136) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Paul I. Clymer (R) on October 4, 2009, to increase the appropriation for compulsive gambling programs by $4 million. The amendment passed in the House (152 to 44) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Mike Vereb (R) on October 4, 2009, to establish regulations upon the hiring of senior staff at the Gaming Control Board. The amendment passed in the House (195 to 0) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Motion in the House on October 4, 2009. The motion passed in the House (191 to 4) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Mike Vereb (R) on October 4, 2009, to strip the language pertaining to disciplinary actions against State Police . The amendment passed in the House (195 to 0) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Daryl D. Metcalfe (R) on October 4, 2009, to require that at least one state trooper be present in each casino 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The amendment failed in the House (23 to 172) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Dante Santoni, Jr. (D) on October 4, 2009, to give the Gaming Control board 45 days after the end of a month (the bill currently gives the board 15 days after the end of a month) to post online the work-related expenses of its members and employees for the previous month. The amendment also makes a number of technical and grammatical changes . The amendment passed in the House (195 to 0) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Curt Schroder (R) on October 4, 2009, to repeal exclusive appellate jurisdiction for the PA Supreme Court over decisions of the PA Gaming Control Board involving the approval, issuance, denial or conditioning of a gaming license . The amendment failed in the House (93 to 101) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Randy Vulakovich (R) on October 4, 2009, to reduce the salary of Gaming Control members to $68,284 . The amendment passed in the House (117 to 77) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Curt Schroder (R) on October 4, 2009, to establish a minimum fee for a license that is transferred to a new licensee. The minimum fee would be $10,000,000 for Category 1 and Category 2 licenses, and $1,000,000 for a Category 3 license . The amendment passed in the House (195 to 0) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Jake Wheatley (D) on October 4, 2009, to extend from Oct 15 to Dec 31 the deadline for slot machine licensees to make their annual payments to municipalities for economic development projects . The amendment passed in the House (191 to 5) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Paul I. Clymer (R) on October 4, 2009, to prohibit table games in a municipality without the approval of table games by that municipality via a voter referendum. A majority in a municipal referendum would be required to approve table games in a municipality. The amendment failed in the House (96 to 100) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Gordon Denlinger (R) on October 4, 2009, to increase the licensing fee for table games to $50 million for Category 1 and 2, and $3 million for Category 3. The amendment failed in the House (96 to 99) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. W. Curtis Thomas (D) on October 4, 2009, to require the Gaming Control Board to conduct quarterly reviews to ascertain whether or not effective and meaningful action has been, or will be, taken to achieve ethnic diversity in the ownership and operation of licensed gaming facilities. The amendment passed in the House (194 to 0) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Douglas G. Reichley (R) on October 4, 2009, to direct revenue from the table games tax to the Public School Employees' Retirement Fund from 2015 and afterward. The amendment failed in the House (92 to 103) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Curt Schroder (R) on October 4, 2009, to prohibit wagering on credit . The amendment failed in the House (92 to 103) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Bryan Cutler (R) on October 4, 2009, to require a state voter referendum on the issue of whether or not gambling should be exanded to table games. Only with majority approval on this referendum could table games be authorized. The amendment failed in the House (93 to 102) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Will Tallman (R) on October 4, 2009, to prohibit casinos from being open on Christmas. The amendment failed in the House (71 to 124) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Mauree Gingrich (R) on October 4, 2009, to require that each gaming employee attending gaming school be trained in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The amendment passed in the House (195 to 0) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Donna Oberlander (R) on October 4, 2009, to increase the number of signs in casinos bearing the compulsive gaming treatment "800" number. The amendment passed in the House (194 to 0) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Mario M. Scavello (R) on October 4, 2009, to prevent certain counties contiguous to a county which hosts a gaming facility from receiving a distribution of local share monies from the Gaming Fund. The amendment failed in the House (95 to 99) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Bryan Cutler (R) on October 4, 2009, to require that, during a state budget impasse, revenue from the table games tax is to be deposited in the state Rainy Day Fund. The amendment failed in the House (90 to 105) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Peter J. Daley (D) on October 4, 2009, to provide for the disbursement of horseracing purse funds to benefit harness horses stabled and sired in PA. The amendment passed in the House (196 to 0) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Todd A. Eachus (D) on October 4, 2009, to change the contributions to, and distributions from, the PA Racehorse Development Fund. The amendment passed in the House (188 to 8) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Kerry A. Benninghoff (R) on October 4, 2009, to prohibit casinos from being open between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. . The amendment failed in the House (65 to 130) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Jake Wheatley (D) on October 4, 2009, to strike the section requiring that a slot licensee have its license revoked for failure to make its required annual economic development payment to the host municipality by Oct 15. The amendment failed in the House (51 to 142) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Jake Wheatley (D) on October 4, 2009, to require a study of the impact of the Compulsive and problem Gambling Treatment Fund in areas where gambling was expanded. The amendment passed in the House (194 to 0) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Will Gabig (R) on October 4, 2009, to provide the establishment, licensure, and regulation of video gaming.
    • Motion in the House on October 4, 2009. The motion failed in the House (94 to 101) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Michael H. O'Brien (D) on October 4, 2009, to provide for an additional table game assessment of 1% of the daily gross table game revenue for host counties . The amendment passed in the House (147 to 48) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Motion by Rep. Gene DiGirolamo (R) on October 4, 2009. The motion passed in the House (193 to 2) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Gene DiGirolamo (R) on October 4, 2009, to provide for disbursement of gaming revenues to the General Fund, host county, and host municipality . The amendment passed in the House (192 to 3) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Michele Brooks (R) on October 4, 2009, to require the Gaming Control Board to impose an annual $100 fee per slot machine, and $2,000 fee per table game, to be paid by each licensee and deposited into the Property Tax Relief Fund . The amendment failed in the House (97 to 98) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. John Maher (R) on October 4, 2009, to require that one percent of the gaming revenues be allocated to the Department of Agriculture for various programs. The amendment failed in the House (97 to 98) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Ron Miller (R) on October 4, 2009, to dedicate gaming revenues for property tax relief . The amendment failed in the House (97 to 97) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Mauree Gingrich (R) on October 5, 2009, to require the audit of gaming funds. The amendment passed in the House (199 to 0) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Ron Miller (R) on October 5, 2009, to hold the State Lottery "harmless" against any loss of revenue due to legalization of table games, by requiring a priority transfer of revenues to the Lottery Fund. The amendment failed in the House (97 to 102) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Ruled not germane by Rep. Dante Santoni, Jr. (D) on October 5, 2009. The ruling failed in the House (98 to 101) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Bryan Barbin (D) on October 5, 2009, to require that 10 percent of the money generated from table games license fees be transferred to the Department of Military and veterans Affairs, at which point 50 percent of it would be used for operation of Scotland School for Veterans Children, and 50 percent would be used for operation of, maintenance of and improvements to veterans homes, centers and schools . The amendment passed in the House (199 to 0) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Moved to reconsider by Rep. Todd A. Eachus (D) on October 5, 2009, a motion to dismiss Amendment 4093 on the grounds that it is unconstitutional. The motion failed in the House (18 to 181) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Michele Brooks (R) on October 5, 2009, to establish that the Property Tax Relief Fund shall be "held harmless" by the General Assembly from any negative impact on its revenue stream from the introduction of table games. Any decrease in revenue in the fund determined to be caused by table games would be compensated for by the General Assembly in the form of a transfer of monies to the Property Tax Relief Fund from the General Fund . The amendment failed in the House (99 to 100) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Michele Brooks (R) on October 5, 2009, to prohibit borrowing from the Property Tax Relief Fund. The amendment failed in the House (99 to 100) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Jake Wheatley (D) on October 5, 2009, to strike the section requiring that a slot licensee have its license revoked for failure to make its required annual economic development payment to the host municipality by Oct 15. The amendment failed in the House (98 to 100) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Moved to reconsider by Rep. Curt Schroder (R) on October 5, 2009. The motion failed in the House (98 to 100) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Moved to reconsider by Rep. John Maher (R) on October 5, 2009. The motion failed in the House (99 to 99) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Motion by Rep. Thomas R. Caltagirone (D) on October 5, 2009, Suspension of Rules. The motion passed in the House (191 to 7) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Thomas R. Caltagirone (D) on October 5, 2009, to strike the section of the bill which makes receipts and requests for expense reimbursements by Gaming Control Board employees and officials subject to the Right to Know Law. The amendment provides that providers of such information can redact it . The amendment passed in the House (198 to 0) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Motion by Rep. Dante Santoni, Jr. (D) on October 5, 2009, Suspension of Rules . The motion passed in the House (188 to 10) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Dante Santoni, Jr. (D) on October 5, 2009, to make technical changes. The amendment passed in the House (196 to 2) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Motion by Rep. Michael Gerber (D) on October 5, 2009, Suspension of Rules. The motion passed in the House (184 to 14) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Michael Gerber (D) on October 5, 2009, to establish that 2% of the gross terminal revenue from each Category 3 licensed facility must be deposited into a restricted account established in the Commonwealth Financing Authority to be used exclusively for grants or guarantees for projects in the host county that qualify for the Business And Our Sites Program, the Tax Increment Financing Guarantee Program or the Water Supply and Waste Water Infrastructure Program . The amendment passed in the House (131 to 67) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Motion by Rep. Ron Marsico (R) on October 5, 2009, Suspension of Rules. The motion passed in the House (190 to 8) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Ron Marsico (R) on October 5, 2009, to provide for distribution of tax revenue to third class counties with a thoroughbred racetrack, and to host municipalities within third class counties . The amendment passed in the House (198 to 0) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Motion by Rep. David R. Millard (R) on October 5, 2009, Suspension of Rules . The motion passed in the House (194 to 4) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. David R. Millard (R) on October 5, 2009, to establish that all money transferred to the Gaming Control Board for the purpose of issuing grants for law enforcement purposes which have not been distributed in grants to local law enforcement agencies within 12 months of transfer to the Gaming Control Board, shall be transferred to the Department of Agriculture for distribution to eligible county agricultural societies and other organizations which conduct an annual agricultural fair . The amendment passed in the House (198 to 0) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Motion by Rep. John Maher (R) on October 5, 2009, Suspension of Rules. The motion passed in the House (194 to 4) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. John Maher (R) on October 5, 2009, to require that distributions to horsemen's organizations shall suspended, except those for employee benefits, if those horsemen's organizations have not filed an audit as required by the legislation within six months of the end of the horsemen's organization's fiscal year . The amendment passed in the House (198 to 0) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Motion by Rep. Donna Oberlander (R) on October 5, 2009, Suspension of Rules . The motion failed in the House (98 to 100) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Motion by Rep. Anthony J. Melio (D) on October 5, 2009, Suspension of Rules . The motion passed in the House (118 to 80) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Paul I. Clymer (R) on October 5, 2009, to require casinos to send monthly statements to their Total Rewards Card members. The amendment failed in the House (98 to 100) on October 5, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Mike Turzai (R) on December 9, 2009, to establish that each slots license applicant shall be required to demonstrate to that no more than 66.6% of the operating funds consists of borrowed funds. The amendment failed in the House (89 to 101) on December 9, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Motion by Rep. Todd A. Eachus (D) on December 9, 2009. The motion failed in the House (87 to 102) on December 9, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Motion by Rep. Kate Harper (R) on December 9, 2009. The motion failed in the House (88 to 101) on December 9, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Gary Day (R) on December 14, 2009. The amendment failed in the House (89 to 100) on December 14, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Douglas G. Reichley (R) on December 14, 2009. The amendment failed in the House (88 to 104) on December 14, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Motion by Rep. Katharine M. Watson (R) on December 14, 2009. The motion failed in the House (95 to 97) on December 14, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Curt Schroder (R) on December 14, 2009, to add language providing for fiscal years 2015 and thereafter, revenues from the table game taxes shall be deposited in the General Fund to be transferred to the Public School Employees Retirement Fund. Also removes the language pertaining to deposits for property tax relief . The amendment failed in the House (96 to 96) on December 14, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Thomas P. Murt (R) on December 14, 2009, to add language providing a person convicted of a misdemeanor gambling offense may make application to the court of common pleas in either the county where the principal residence of the applicant is situated or, if the applicant is not a resident of the Commonwealth, the court of common pleas of any county, for restoration of rights. The amendment failed in the House (90 to 102) on December 14, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. David R. Millard (R) on December 14, 2009, to remove the $3 million transfer from the local law enforcement grant account to the compulsive and problem gambling treatment fund and authorize up to $4 million per year in remaining local law enforcement grant funding to be used to fund agricultural fairs. The amendment failed in the House (80 to 113) on December 14, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Paul I. Clymer (R) on December 14, 2009, to adds language requiring each licensed gaming entity to remit quarterly statements to patrons with a total rewards card that tracks the amount of money and time spent gaming in order to determine the value of provisions or complimentary services to its patrons. Further provides the quarterly statement shall include the patron's winnings and losses but shall not include any identifying information, other than the patron's name and address for purposes of mailing. Allows licensed gaming entities to remit this statement to the patron via electronic mail . The amendment failed in the House (88 to 102) on December 14, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Matthew D. Bradford (D) on December 14, 2009, to provide that revenues from the tax on table games shall be deposited in the Property Tax Relief Fund. The amendment passed in the House (181 to 9) on December 14, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Mike Turzai (R) on December 14, 2009, to remove the language from the bill and add language making extensive revisions to the provisions on gaming. The amendment failed in the House (88 to 101) on December 14, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Motion by Rep. Bryan Cutler (R) on December 14, 2009. The motion passed in the House (107 to 84) on December 14, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Amendment offered by Rep. Dante Santoni, Jr. (D) on December 14, 2009, to amend the bill by authorizing the operation and play of slot machines and table games under a single slot machine license issued to a slot machine licensee, by banning political campaign contributions to stakeholders in the gaming industry, and more. The amendment passed in the House (97 to 95) on December 14, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Motion by Rep. William F. Keller (D) on December 14, 2009. The motion failed in the House (129 to 63) on December 14, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Motion by Rep. Frank Louis Oliver (D) on December 14, 2009. The motion passed in the House (102 to 90) on December 14, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
  • Motion in the House on December 14, 2009. The motion passed in the House (98 to 94) on December 14, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Passed in the House (103 to 92) on December 15, 2009, to allow thoroughbred and harness racetracks with slot-machine facilities (Category 1 licensees) and stand-alone slot-machine parlors (Category 2 licensees) to operate up to 250 table games (such as poker, craps and black jack); and to allow resort slot-machine parlors (Category 3 licensees) to operate up to 50 tables. Category 1 and 2 facilities would have to pay a $16.5 million authorization fee, while Category 3 facilities would pay a $7.5 million fee. All licensees would have to be approved for a table games certificate by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board before operating table games. The bill also would expand the number of Category 3 licenses from two to three. Operators would be required to pay a total tax rate of 16 percent on all gross table game revenues, with 14 percent going to the state, 1 percent to the host county and 1 percent to the host municipality. Revenue from table games would go directly into the state’s general fund until the state’s Rainy Day Fund balance reaches $750 million, at which point all table game revenue would be allocated for property tax relief . [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the Senate on December 16, 2009.
  • Referred to the Senate Rules & Executive Nominations Committee on December 16, 2009.
• Passed in the Senate (27 to 22) on December 16, 2009, to allow thoroughbred and harness racetracks with slot-machine facilities (Category 1 licensees) and stand-alone slot-machine parlors (Category 2 licensees) to operate up to 250 table games (such as poker, craps and black jack); and to allow resort slot-machine parlors (Category 3 licensees) to operate up to 50 tables. Category 1 and 2 facilities would have to pay a $16.5 million authorization fee, while Category 3 facilities would pay a $7.5 million fee. All licensees would have to be approved for a table games certificate by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board before operating table games. The bill also would expand the number of Category 3 licenses from two to three. Operators would be required to pay a total tax rate of 16 percent on all gross table game revenues, with 14 percent going to the state, 1 percent to the host county and 1 percent to the host municipality. Revenue from table games would go directly into the state’s general fund until the state’s Rainy Day Fund balance reaches $750 million, at which point all table game revenue would be allocated for property tax relief. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the House on December 17, 2009.
  • Referred to the House Rules Committee on December 17, 2009.
• Failed in the House (2 to 189) on January 5, 2010. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the Senate on January 5, 2010.
• Passed in the Senate (28 to 22) on January 5, 2010, to allow thoroughbred and harness racetracks with slot-machine facilities (Category 1 licensees) and stand-alone slot-machine parlors (Category 2 licensees) to operate up to 250 table games (such as poker, craps and black jack); and to allow resort slot-machine parlors (Category 3 licensees) to operate up to 50 tables. Category 1 and 2 facilities would have to pay a $16.5 million authorization fee, while Category 3 facilities would pay a $7.5 million fee. All licensees would have to be approved for a table games certificate by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board before operating table games. The bill also would expand the number of Category 3 licenses from two to three. Operators would be required to pay a total tax rate of 16 percent on all gross table game revenues, with 14 percent going to the state, 1 percent to the host county and 1 percent to the host municipality. Revenue from table games would go directly into the state’s general fund until the state’s Rainy Day Fund balance reaches $750 million, at which point all table game revenue would be allocated for property tax relief. [Vote Details and Comments]
• Received in the House on January 5, 2010.
• Passed in the House (103 to 89) on January 6, 2010, to allow thoroughbred and harness racetracks with slot-machine facilities (Category 1 licensees) and stand-alone slot-machine parlors (Category 2 licensees) to operate up to 250 table games (such as poker, craps and black jack); and to allow resort slot-machine parlors (Category 3 licensees) to operate up to 50 tables. Category 1 and 2 facilities would have to pay a $16.5 million authorization fee, while Category 3 facilities would pay a $7.5 million fee. All licensees would have to be approved for a table games certificate by the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board before operating table games. The bill also would expand the number of Category 3 licenses from two to three. Operators would be required to pay a total tax rate of 16 percent on all gross table game revenues, with 14 percent going to the state, 1 percent to the host county and 1 percent to the host municipality. Revenue from table games would go directly into the state’s general fund until the state’s Rainy Day Fund balance reaches $750 million, at which point all table game revenue would be allocated for property tax relief. [Vote Details and Comments]