PRINTER'S NO.  1022

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

SENATE BILL

 

No.

857

Session of

2009

  

  

INTRODUCED BY FARNESE, FOLMER, RAFFERTY, FONTANA, ORIE AND WAUGH, MAY 11, 2009

  

  

REFERRED TO COMMUNITY, ECONOMIC AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT, MAY 11, 2009  

  

  

  

AN ACT

  

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Amending Title 4 (Amusements) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated

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Statutes, providing for additional public input hearings.

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The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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hereby enacts as follows:

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Section 1.  Title 4 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

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is amended by adding a section to read:

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§ 1205.1.  Additional public input hearings.

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(a)  Public hearing required.--Prior to ruling on a petition

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by a slot machine licensee seeking authorization to redesign its

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licensed facility or seeking authorization to relocate its

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licensed facility under section 1329 (relating to nonportability

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of slot machine license), the board shall hold at least one

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public hearing on the matter.

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(b)  Location.--All public input hearings required under

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subsection (a) shall be held in the municipality where the

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facility is located or is sought to be relocated and shall be

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organized in cooperation with the municipality.

 


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(c)  Public notice.--The board shall provide public notice of

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the date, time and location of the public hearing by advertising

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once each week for three weeks in a newspaper of general

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circulation within the municipality if there is such newspaper

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and, if there is not, then publication shall be made in a

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newspaper of general circulation within the county in which the

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municipality is located. The board shall also post the date,

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time and location of the public hearing on its Internet website.

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(d)  Witnesses.--The board shall establish a process through

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which individuals may appear before the board at a public

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hearing to comment on the merits of the petition pending before

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the board. At a minimum, the process shall allow an individual

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to request the opportunity to address the board through written

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request or through the board's Internet website. A list of all

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witnesses scheduled to testify at a public input hearing shall

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be made public at least seven days prior to the hearing. The

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list shall be updated at least three days prior to the hearing.

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Additional witnesses shall be posted on the board's Internet

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website as they are added to the list. The board may, in its

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discretion, set reasonable time limits on an individual's

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comments to the board at the public hearing.

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Section 2.  This act shall take effect immediately.

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