THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

HOUSE BILL

INTRODUCED BY OBERLANDER, CAUSER, KILLION, BAKER, BEAR, BENNINGHOFF, BOYD, CHRISTIANA, CLYMER, DAY, DENLINGER, ELLIS, GABLER, GINGRICH, GROVE, HARHART, HUTCHINSON, KAUFFMAN, MENSCH, METZGAR, MOUL, PEIFER, PYLE, QUINN, RAPP, ROAE, SCHRODER, SONNEY, STERN, SWANGER, VULAKOVICH AND WATSON, APRIL 20, 2009

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON GAMING OVERSIGHT, APRIL 20, 2009  

AN ACT

Amending Title 4 (Amusements) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated

Statutes, 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, 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 may consult with the board

and licensed gaming entities to develop such strategies. The

program shall include:

(1)  Maintenance of a compulsive gamblers assistance

organization's toll-free problem gambling telephone number to

provide crisis counseling and referral services to families

experiencing difficulty as a result of problem or compulsive

gambling.

(2)  The promotion of public awareness regarding the

recognition and prevention of problem or compulsive gambling.

(3)  Facilitation, through in-service training and other

means, of the availability of effective assistance programs

for problem and compulsive gamblers and family members

affected by problem and compulsive gambling.

(4)  Conducting studies to identify adults and juveniles

in this Commonwealth who are or are at risk of becoming

problem or compulsive gamblers.

(5)  Providing grants to and contracting with

organizations which provide services as set forth in this

section.

(6)  Providing reimbursement for organizations for

reasonable expenses in assisting the Department of Health in

carrying out the purposes of 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 expended, as provided in subsection

(b.1), 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. The fund shall

consist of money annually allocated to it from the annual

payment established under section 1408 (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.

(b.1)  Allocation of fund.--A deposit into the Compulsive and

Problem Gambling Treatment Fund established in subsection (b)

shall be allocated as follows:

(1)  Fifty percent shall be appropriated on a continuing

basis to the Department of Health for the purposes of this

section.

(2)  Fifty percent shall be appropriated on a continuing

basis to the board for the purposes of this section.

(c)  Notice of availability of assistance.--

(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 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 and within 50 feet of each automated teller machine

location within the licensed facility.

(2)  Each racetrack where slot machines 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

assessed a fine of $1,000 a day for each day the sign is not

posted or printed as provided in this subsection.

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

[may] shall make grants from the fund established under

subsection (b) to a single county authority 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. It is the

intention of the General Assembly that any grants that the

Department of Health may make 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 subsection (a).

At least 40% of the annual share of the fund appropriated for

use by the Department of Health in subsection (b.1) shall be

allocated for grants under this subsection. Any unused portion

of the funds shall remain available for grants in succeeding

years.

(d.1)  Nonprofit entities.--

(1)  The board shall make grants from the fund

established under subsection (b) for the purpose of providing

compulsive gambling and gambling addiction prevention,

treatment and education programs to any organization that:

(i)  is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as

an exempt organization under the Internal Revenue Code of

1986 (Public Law 99-514, 26 U.S.C. § 501(c)(3) et seq.);

and

(ii)  provides services compatible with the purposes

of this subsection, including, but not limited to,

dissemination of information on compulsive gambling and

facilitation of referrals for treatment.

(2)  At least 95% of the funds appropriated for use by

the board in subsection (b.1) shall be allocated for grants

under this subsection. Any unused portion of the funds shall

remain available for grants in succeeding years.

(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.