Source: https://leg.mt.gov/bills/1997/Bills/House/HB0425_01.htm
Timestamp: 2018-06-23 11:42:01
Document Index: 649728888

Matched Legal Cases: ['arts 1', 'arts 1', 'arts 1', 'arts 1', 'arts 1', 'arts 1', 'arts 1', 'arts 1', 'arts 1', 'arts 1', 'arts 1', 'arts 1', 'arts 1', 'arts 1', 'art 6', 'arts 1']

A Bill for an Act entitled: "An Act submitting the elimination of electronic video gambling to the qualified electors at a special election to be held in November 1997; amending sections 17-7-502, 23-5-110, 23-5-111, 23-5-112, 23-5-113, 23-5-114, 23-5-115, 23-5-118, 23-5-123, 23-5-136, 23-5-138, 23-5-161, 23-5-162, 23-5-171, 23-5-172, 23-5-177, 23-5-311, 23-5-405, and 23-6-106, MCA; repealing sections 23-5-130, 23-5-602, 23-5-603, 23-5-607, 23-5-608, 23-5-610, 23-5-611, 23-5-612, 23-5-613, 23-5-614, 23-5-616, 23-5-620, 23-5-621, 23-5-622, 23-5-625, 23-5-628, 23-5-629, and 23-5-631, MCA; and providing an effective date."
Section 2. Section 23-5-110, MCA, is amended to read:
Section 3. Section 23-5-111, MCA, is amended to read:
"23-5-111. Construction and application. In view of Article III, section 9, of the Montana constitution, parts 1 through 8 of this chapter must be strictly construed by the department and the courts to allow only those types of gambling and gambling activity that are specifically and clearly allowed by those parts this chapter."
Section 4. Section 23-5-112, MCA, is amended to read:
(b) an apparatus, implement, or device, by whatever name known, specifically designed to be used in conducting an illegal gambling enterprise, including a faro box, faro layout, roulette wheel, roulette table, or craps table or a slot machine except as provided in 23-5-153; and
(c) an apparatus, implement, or device, specifically designed to electronically offer an otherwise legal form of gambling or live gambling.
Section 5. Section 23-5-113, MCA, is amended to read:
(2) Upon conviction for any violation of parts 1 through 8 of this chapter, the court may order any property seized by a department or local law enforcement agent during a lawful search to be forfeited to the department, sold, if necessary, and disposed of under 23-5-123."
Section 6. Section 23-5-114, MCA, is amended to read:
(b) be employed by a licensed operator in any capacity that requires assisting in conducting a gambling activity regulated under parts 1 through 6 5 of this chapter or maintaining records for the gambling activity;
(d) participate in a gambling activity governed by parts 1 through 6 5 of this chapter, except in performing assigned employment duties. An employee may participate in a gambling activity governed by chapter 4 or 7 of this title.
Section 7. Section 23-5-115, MCA, is amended to read:
Section 8. Section 23-5-118, MCA, is amended to read:
(3) This section does not apply to the transfer of a security interest in a licensed gambling operation or to the transfer of less than 5% of the interest in a publicly traded corporation."
Section 9. Section 23-5-123, MCA, is amended to read:
"23-5-123. Disposal of money confiscated by reason of violation of gambling laws. All fines, penalties, forfeitures, and confiscated money collected by criminal, civil, or administrative process for a violation of a provision of parts 1 through 8 of this chapter or a rule of the department must be deposited one-half in the state general fund and one-half in the general fund of the county in which the violation occurred."
Section 10. Section 23-5-136, MCA, is amended to read:
"23-5-136. Injunction and other remedies. (1) If a person has engaged or is engaging in an act or practice constituting a violation of a provision of parts 1 through 8 of this chapter or a rule or order of the department, the department may:
(3) (a) A civil penalty imposed under this section must be collected by the department and distributed as provided in 23-5-123. The local government portion of the penalty payment is statutorily appropriated to the department, as provided in 17-7-502, for deposit to the county or municipal treasury.
Section 11. Section 23-5-138, MCA, is amended to read:
"23-5-138. Evidence in administrative proceedings. When conducting an administrative proceeding under parts 1 through 8 of this chapter, the department may consider hearsay evidence approved by the hearing examiner in a prehearing conference at which a determination is made that the evidence possesses sufficient guaranties of trustworthiness and does not involve a question of the credibility of a witness or of the credibility of a witness's subjective observations or analysis."
Section 12. Section 23-5-161, MCA, is amended to read:
"23-5-161. Criminal liabilities -- misdemeanor. A person who purposely or knowingly violates a provision of parts 1 through 8 of this chapter, the punishment of which is for a misdemeanor, shall upon conviction of a first offense be fined not more than $500. Upon a second conviction within 5 years of a first conviction, a person shall be fined not more than $1,000 or imprisoned in the county jail for not more than 6 months, or both. Upon a third conviction within 5 years of a second conviction, a person shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned in the county jail for not more than 1 year, or both. Upon a fourth conviction within 5 years of a third conviction, a person shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned in the county jail for not more than 1 year, or both, and the department shall revoke all licenses and permits the person holds under parts 1 through 8 of this chapter and the person is forever barred from receipt of any license or permit under this chapter. When 5 years have passed following a conviction, the record of that conviction may be made available only to criminal justice agencies or upon court order."
Section 13. Section 23-5-162, MCA, is amended to read:
"23-5-162. Criminal liabilities -- felony. (1) A person who purposely or knowingly violates a provision of parts 1 through 8 of this chapter, the punishment for which is a felony, may upon conviction be fined not more than $50,000 or imprisoned for not more than 10 years, or both, for each violation.
(2) In addition to any penalty imposed under subsection (1), the department shall revoke all licenses or permits issued to the person under parts 1 through 8 of this chapter and may not issue the person another license or permit under parts 1 through 8 of this chapter."
Section 14. Section 23-5-171, MCA, is amended to read:
"23-5-171. Authority of local governments to regulate gambling. (1) A local government may not license or regulate a form of gambling authorized by parts 1 through 8 of this chapter or assess or charge any fees or taxes unless specifically authorized by statute.
(2) An incorporated city or town may enact an ordinance or resolution zoning certain areas within its incorporated limits in which gambling is prohibited.
(3) A county may enact a resolution zoning certain areas in the county, not within an incorporated city or town, in which gambling is prohibited.
(4) A county or incorporated city or town may not restrict the number of licenses that the department may issue."
Section 15. Section 23-5-172, MCA, is amended to read:
"23-5-172. Prosecution. The county attorney of the county in which a violation of a provision of parts 1 through 8 of this chapter occurs shall prosecute all gambling actions within the jurisdiction of the department. However, if the county attorney declines prosecution or fails to commence an action within a reasonable time, the attorney general may initiate and conduct the prosecution on behalf of the state."
Section 16. Section 23-5-177, MCA, is amended to read:
"23-5-177. Operator of gambling establishment -- license -- fee. (1) It is a misdemeanor for a person who is not licensed by the department as an operator to make available to the public for play a gambling device or gambling enterprise for which a permit must be obtained from the department.
(b) any other relevant information requested by the department; and
(c) a license application processing fee, as required in subsection (8).
Section 17. Section 23-5-311, MCA, is amended to read:
"23-5-311. Authorized card games. (1) The card games authorized by this part are and are limited to the card games known as bridge, cribbage, hearts, panguingue, pinochle, pitch, poker, rummy, solo, and whist.
Section 18. Section 23-5-405, MCA, is amended to read:
"23-5-405. Authorized live bingo, keno, and raffles. (1) A person may conduct or participate in a live bingo and keno game or raffle only if it is operated pursuant to this part.
(2) This part does not apply to a game simulated on a video gambling machine authorized by part 6 of this chapter."
Section 19. Section 23-6-106, MCA, is amended to read:
"23-6-106. Gambling and illegal gambling devices and enterprises prohibited. An operator, concessionaire, nonprofit organization, or arcade may not make available for play a gambling or illegal gambling device or enterprise governed under Title 23, chapter 5, parts 1 through 6 5."
NEW SECTION. Section 20. Repealer. Sections 23-5-130, 23-5-602, 23-5-603, 23-5-607, 23-5-608, 23-5-610, 23-5-611, 23-5-612, 23-5-613, 23-5-614, 23-5-616, 23-5-620, 23-5-621, 23-5-622, 23-5-625, 23-5-628, 23-5-629, and 23-5-631, MCA, are repealed.
NEW SECTION. Section 21. Effective date. If approved by the electors, [this act] is effective July 1, 1998.
NEW SECTION. Section 22. Submission to electorate. This amendment shall be submitted to the qualified electors of Montana at a special election to be held in November 1997 in conjunction with the general election provided for in 13-1-104(2) by printing on the ballot the full title of this act and the following:
[] FOR eliminating electronic video gambling.
[] AGAINST eliminating electronic video gambling.