Senate Bill No. 656

(By Senators Snyder, Fitzsimmons, Yost, Prezioso and Stollings)

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[Introduced March 25, 2013; referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.]

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A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §29-22A-20, relating to establishing a gaming industry special study committee to assess problems facing the gaming industry in West Virginia.

Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:

    That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §29-22A-20, to read as follows:

ARTICLE 22A. RACETRACK VIDEO LOTTERY.

§29-22A-20. Establishment of gaming industry special study committee.

    (a) The gaming industry in West Virginia has been subject to increasing competitive pressure as the neighboring states of Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland have sought to increase tax revenues by expanding gaming activities in their states. For years West Virginia benefitted from gaming facilities in our eastern and northern panhandles which drew residents from border states that had few gambling options. But with growing casino operations in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland, that advantage has markedly declined, threatening our gaming industry and the state tax revenues which are realized from our gaming industry.

    (b) There is created a gaming industry special study committee to assess the issues facing the gaming industry and to offer recommendations to address the problems identified by the committee. The gaming industry special study committee is comprised of the following members:

    (1) Three members of the Senate appointed by the President of the Senate;

    (2) Three members of the House of Delegates appointed by the Speaker of the House of Delegates;

    (3) Two members of the Racing Commission appointed by the Governor;

    (4) Two members of the Lottery Commission appointed by the Governor; and

    (5) One member from the Governor's Office appointed by the Governor.

    (c) The gaming industry special study committee shall report to the Legislature its findings, conclusions and recommendations on January 1, 2015.

    NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to create a gaming industry special study committee to assess problems facing the gaming industry in West Virginia and to make recommendations to the Legislature on January 1, 2015.

    This section is new; therefore, strike-throughs and underscoring have been omitted.