PRIOR PRINTER'S NO. 692 PRINTER'S NO. 1960
No. 614 Session of 1975
INTRODUCED BY MESSRS. GEISLER, CAPUTO, BRUNNER, M. M. MULLEN,
MANDERINO, McGRAW, LAUDADIO, PERRY, PIEVSKY, O'BRIEN,
GOODMAN, MRKONIC, MUSTO, NOVAK, WANSACZ, McLANE, KNEPPER,
PARKER, FISHER, BELLOMINI, RYAN, CESSAR, PETRARCA, BONETTO,
HALVERSON, DeMEDIO, TRELLO, ABRAHAM, MISCEVICH, JOHNSON,
GLEESON, MILANOVICH, ROMANELLI, LINCOLN, LAUGHLIN, A. K.
HUTCHINSON, DOMBROWSKI, WEIDNER, O'CONNELL, McGINNIS,
GREENFIELD, AND GRIECO, MARCH 3, 1975
AS RE-REPORTED FROM COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS, HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES, AS AMENDED, JULY 9, 1975
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of December 22, 1959 (P.L.1978, No.728),
2 entitled, as amended, "An act providing for and regulating
3 harness racing with pari-mutuel wagering on the results
4 thereof; creating the State Harness Racing Commission as a
5 departmental administrative commission within the Department
6 of Agriculture and defining its powers and duties; providing
7 for the establishment and operation of harness racing plants
8 subject to local option; imposing taxes on revenues of such
9 plants; disposing of all moneys received by the commission
10 and all moneys collected from the taxes; authorizing
11 penalties; and making appropriations," extending the terms of
g
13 the chairman and a per diem for the other members.
14 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
15 hereby enacts as follows:
16 Section 1. Section 1, act of December 22, 1959 (P.L.1978,
17 No.728), entitled, as amended, "An act providing for and
18 regulating harness racing with pari-mutuel wagering on the
19 results thereof; creating the State Harness Racing Commission as
20 a departmental administrative commission within the Department
1 of Agriculture and defining its powers and duties; providing for
2 the establishment and operation of harness racing plants subject
3 to local option; imposing taxes on revenues of such plants;
4 disposing of all moneys received by the commission and all
5 moneys collected from the taxes; authorizing penalties; and
6 making appropriations," amended May 20, 1963 (P.L.40, No.37),
7 and July 17, 1963 (P.L.256, No.136), is amended to read:
8 Section 1. State Harness Racing Commission.--The State
9 Harness Racing Commission heretofore created as an independent
10 administrative commission is hereby established as a
11 departmental administrative commission within the Department of
12 Agriculture, and it shall have general jurisdiction over all
13 pari-mutuel harness racing activities in the State and the
14 corporations engaged therein. Such commission shall consist of
15 three members who shall be appointed by the Governor, by and
16 with the advice and consent of the Senate. Each commissioner
17 shall hold office for a term of [three] five years. [Such
18 commissioners shall receive no salary but shall be reimbursed
19 for expenses incurred in the performance of their official
20 duties.] One of the commissioners shall be appointed by the
21 Governor as chairman and shall receive a salary of twenty-two <--
22 thousand five hundred dollars ($22,500) per annum and shall be
23 reimbursed for expenses incurred in the performance of his
24 official duties AS ESTABLISHED FROM TIME TO TIME BY THE <--
25 EXECUTIVE BOARD. The remaining commissioners shall be
26 compensated at the rate of one hundred dollars ($100) per diem
27 and expenses incurred in the performance of their official
28 duties. The commission shall appoint such deputies, secretaries,
29 officers, representatives and counsel as it may deem necessary,
30 who shall serve during its pleasure, and shall also appoint such
19750H0614B1960 - 2 -
1 employes it may deem necessary and whose duties shall be
2 prescribed by the commission and whose compensation shall be
3 fixed by the commission within the appropriations available
4 therefor. It shall be the duty of the secretary to keep a full
5 and faithful record of the proceedings of such commission,
6 preserve at the general office of such commission all books,
7 maps, documents, and papers entrusted to his care, prepare for
8 service such papers and notices as may be required of him by the
9 commission, and perform such other duties as the commission may
10 prescribe. It shall be the duty of the secretary to keep, at the
11 offices of the commission, a docket setting forth the names of
12 all stockholders in all corporations licensed under this act,
13 the number of shares held by each such stockholder, and the date
14 on which each shareholder acquired his stock in the corporate
15 licensee. Such docket shall be open for public inspection. The
16 commission, or such officers, employes or agents of the
17 commission as may be designated by the commission for such
18 purpose, shall have the power to administer oaths and examine
19 witnesses, and may issue subpoenas to compel attendance of
20 witnesses, and the production of all relevant and material
21 reports, books, papers, documents, correspondence, and other
22 evidence. Such commission shall, annually, make a full report to
23 the Secretary of Agriculture of its proceedings for the year
24 ending with the first day of the preceding December and such
25 suggestions and recommendations as it shall deem desirable. Such
26 commission shall exercise its powers and duties subject to the
27 provisions of the Administrative Code of 1929, approved April 9,
28 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), relating to departmental commissions.
29 Section 2. This act shall take effect immediately.
B19L1RAW/19750H0614B1960 - 3 -