Regular Session 2015-2016 House Bill 1843 P.N. 2840

PRINTER'S NO. 2840

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

No.

1843

Session of

2015

INTRODUCED BY KAUFER, TOOHIL, DiGIROLAMO, FEE, SAYLOR, GROVE,

PHILLIPS-HILL, KNOWLES, CUTLER, DIAMOND, MASSER, EVERETT,

WARD, READSHAW, IRVIN, ORTITAY, RADER, WATSON, B. MILLER,

HELM AND BOBACK, FEBRUARY 9, 2016

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES, FEBRUARY 9, 2016

AN ACT

Amending Title 4 (Amusements) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated

Statutes, in administration and enforcement, further

providing for compulsive and problem gambling program.

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

hereby enacts as follows:

Section 1. Section 1509 of Title 4 of the Pennsylvania

Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:

§ 1509. Compulsive and problem gambling program.

(a) Establishment of program.--The Department of [Health]

Drug and Alcohol Programs, in consultation with organizations

similar to the Mid-Atlantic Addiction Training Institute, shall

develop program guidelines for public education, awareness and

training regarding compulsive and problem gambling and the

treatment and prevention of compulsive and problem gambling. The

guidelines shall include strategies for the prevention of

compulsive and problem gambling. The Department of [Health] Drug

and Alcohol Programs may consult with the board and licensed

gaming entities to develop such strategies.

(a.1) Duties of Department of [Health] Drug and Alcohol

Programs.--From funds available in the Compulsive and Problem

Gambling Treatment Fund, the Department of [Health] Drug and

Alcohol Programs shall:

(1) Maintain a compulsive gamblers assistance

organization's toll-free problem gambling telephone number to

provide crisis counseling and referral services to

individuals and families experiencing difficulty as a result

of problem or compulsive gambling.

(2) Facilitate, through in-service training and other

means, the availability of effective assistance programs for

problem and compulsive gamblers and family members affected

by problem and compulsive gambling.

(3) At its discretion, conduct studies to identify

individuals in this Commonwealth who are or are at risk of

becoming problem or compulsive gamblers.

(4) Provide grants to and contract with single county

authorities and other organizations which provide services as

set forth in this section.

(5) Reimburse organizations for reasonable expenses

incurred assisting the Department of [Health] Drug and

Alcohol Programs with implementing this section.

(a.2) Duties of Department of [Health] Drug and Alcohol

Programs and board.--Within 60 days following the effective date

of this subsection, the Department of [Health's Bureau of] Drug

and Alcohol Programs and the board's Office of Compulsive and

Problem Gambling shall jointly collaborate with other

appropriate offices and agencies of State or local government,

including single county authorities, and providers and other

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persons, public or private, with expertise in compulsive and

problem gambling treatment to do the following:

(1) Implement a strategic plan for the prevention and

treatment of compulsive and problem gambling.

(2) Adopt compulsive and problem gambling treatment

standards to be integrated with the [Bureau] Department of

Drug and Alcohol Program's uniform Statewide guidelines that

govern the provision of addiction treatment services.

(3) Develop a method to coordinate compulsive and

problem gambling data collection and referral information to

crisis response hotlines, child welfare and domestic violence

programs and providers and other appropriate programs and

providers.

(4) Develop and disseminate educational materials to

provide public awareness related to the prevention,

recognition and treatment of compulsive and problem gambling.

(5) Develop demographic-specific compulsive and problem

gambling prevention, intervention and treatment programs.

(6) Prepare an itemized budget outlining how funds will

be allocated to fulfill the responsibilities under this

section.

(b) Compulsive and Problem Gambling Treatment Fund.--There

is hereby established in the State Treasury a special fund to be

known as the Compulsive and Problem Gambling Treatment Fund. All

moneys in the fund shall be administered by the Department of

[Health] Drug and Alcohol Programs and expended solely for

programs for the prevention and treatment of gambling addiction

and other emotional and behavioral problems associated with or

related to gambling addiction and for the administration of the

compulsive and problem gambling program, provided that the

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Department of [Health] Drug and Alcohol Programs shall annually

distribute at least 50% of the money in the fund to single

county authorities under subsection (d). The fund shall consist

of money annually allocated to it from the annual payment

established under section 1408(a) (relating to transfers from

State Gaming Fund), money which may be allocated by the board,

interest earnings on moneys in the fund and any other

contributions, payments or deposits which may be made to the

fund.

(1) Each slot machine licensee shall obtain a toll-free

telephone number to be used to provide persons with

information on assistance for compulsive or problem gambling.

Each licensee shall conspicuously post at least 20 signs

similar to the following statement:

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help

is available. Call (Toll-free telephone number).

The signs must be posted within 50 feet of each entrance and

exit, within 50 feet of each automated teller machine

location within the licensed facility and in other

appropriate public areas of the licensed facility as

determined by the slot machine licensee.

(2) Each racetrack where slot machines or table games

are operated shall print a statement on daily racing programs

provided to the general public that is similar to the

following:

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, help

is available. Call (Toll-free telephone number).

(3) A licensed facility which fails to post or print the

warning sign in accordance with paragraph (1) or (2) shall be

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assessed a fine of $1,000 a day for each day the minimum

number of signs are not posted or the required statement is

not printed as provided in this subsection.

(d) Single county authorities.--The Department of [Health]

Drug and Alcohol Programs shall make grants from the fund

established under subsection (b) to single county authorities

created pursuant to the act of April 14, 1972 (P.L.221, No.63),

known as the Pennsylvania Drug and Alcohol Abuse Control Act,

for the purpose of providing compulsive gambling and gambling

addiction prevention, treatment and education programs.

Treatment may include financial counseling, irrespective of

whether the financial counseling is provided by the single

county authority, the treatment service provider or

subcontracted to a third party. It is the intention of the

General Assembly that any grants made by the Department of

[Health] Drug and Alcohol Programs to any single county

authority in accordance with the provisions of this subsection

be used exclusively for the development and implementation of

compulsive and problem gambling programs authorized under this

section.

(d.1) Eligibility.--Eligibility to receive treatment

services for treatment of compulsive and problem gambling under

this section shall be determined using financial eligibility and

other requirements of the single county authorities as approved

by the Department of [Health] Drug and Alcohol Programs.

(d.2) Report.--No later than October 1, 2010, and each

October 1 thereafter, the Department of [Health] Drug and

Alcohol Programs, in consultation with the board, shall prepare

and submit a report on the impact of the programs funded by the

Compulsive and Problem Gambling Treatment Fund to the Governor

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and to the members of the General Assembly. The report shall

include aggregate demographic-specific data, including race,

gender, geography and income of those individuals treated.

(e) Definition.--As used in subsection (d), the term "single

county authority" means the agency designated by the Department

of Health pursuant to the act of April 14, 1972 (P.L.221,

No.63), known as the Pennsylvania Drug and Alcohol Abuse Control

Act, to plan and coordinate drug and alcohol prevention,

intervention and treatment services for a geographic area, which

may consist of one or more counties.

Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.

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