An Act To Protect Public Safety in the Operation of the Oxford County Casino
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0643
Committee Amendment CA_A_H547 (House)
Amends: 8 MRSA §1003

COMMITTEE AMENDMENT "it" to H.P. 473, L.D. 643, Bill, "An Act To 
Protect Public Safety in the Operation of the Oxford County Casino" 
Amend the bill by striking out the title and substituting the following: 
'An Act To Protect Public Safety in the Operation of Casinos' 
Amend the bill by striking out everything after the title and inserting the following: 
'Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, the operation of a casino has been approved by the voters of Maine; and 
Whereas, it is in the best interest of the people of the State to have appropriate 
oversight of the operation of table games at a casino; and 
Whereas, rules should be in place as soon as possible so as not to delay the 
operation of table games at a casino; and 
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore, 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1. 8 MRSA §1003, sub-§l, ,J, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 687, Pt. A, §5 and 
affected by Pt. B, § 11, is amended to read: 
J. 
Negotiate consent agreements to resolve administrative violations or 
investigations';"; and 
Sec. 2. 8 MRSA §1003, sub-§l, ~ 
is enacted to read: 
K. Ensure that public safety inspectors employed by the board assigned to enforce 
the provisions of this chapter at the site of a casino may, in the absence of a sworn 
Page I -125LR1555(02)-1 
_'_>M_, •. 'COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT .. A 
"to H.P. 473, L.D. 643 
law enforcement officer, detain any person who is suspected of violating any 
provision of this chapter. Such detention must comply with federal and state laws 
including the provisions of Title 17 -A, section 107. 
Sec. 3. 8 MRSA §l003, sub-§3, ,G-l is enacted to read: 
G-I. The handling of money, chips, tokens or other items of value used to place bets 
on table games. The rules must prohibit the use of cash to place bets and ensure that 
the exchange of cash for chips, tokens or other items of value used to place bets on 
table games is conducted in a manner that permits thorough auditing; 
Sec. 4. 8 MRSA §l003, sub-§4 is enacted to read: 
4. Rules governing the regulation of table games. Rules adopted by the board 
governing the regulation and oversight and monitoring of the operation of table games 
and the exchange of cash for chips, tokens or other items of value for the purpose of 
placing bets on table games are major substantive rules in accordance with Title 5, 
chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. This subsection does not apply to rules governing the 
method of play of games. 
This subsection is repealed December 31, 2014. 
Sec. 5. 8 MRSA §l018, sub-§l, as amended by IB 2009, c. 2, §34, is further 
amended to read: 
1. Fees. The application fee for a license and the annual fee for a registered slot 
machine or table game under this chapter are as set out in this subsection. 
A. 
The initial registration fee for a registered slot machine is $100. The annual 
renewal fee is $100 for each registered slot machine. 
A-I. The initial registration fee for a registered table game is $100. The annual 
renewal fee is $100 for each registered table game. 
B. 
The initial application fee for a slot machine distributor license is $200,000. The 
annual renewal fee is $75,000. 
B-l. The initial application fee for a table game distributor license is $5,000. The 
annual renewal fee is $1,000. 
C. The initial application fee for a slot machine operator license is $200,000. The 
annual renewal fee is $75,000 plus an amount, set by rules of the board, equal to the 
cost to the board of licensing slot machine operators and determined by dividing the 
costs of administering the slot machine operator licenses by the total number of slot 
machine operators licensed by the board. 
C-I. The initial application fee for a casino operator license is $225,000. The annual 
renewal fee is $80,000 plus an amount, set by rules of the board, equal to the cosUo 
the board of licensing casino operators and determined by dividing the costs of 
administering the casino operator licenses by the total number of casino operators 
licensed by the board. 
D. The annual application fee for a license for a gambling services vendor is $2,000. 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
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COMMITTEE AMENDMENT" A" to H.P. 473, L.D. 643 
E. The initial application fee for an employee license under section 1015 is $250. 
The annual renewal fee is $25. 
In addition to the application fee for a license or annual fee for a registered slot machine 
or table game, the board may charge a one-time application fee for a license or 
registration listed in paragraphs A to E in an amount equal to the projected cost of 
processing the application and performing any background investigations. If the actual 
cost exceeds the projected cost, an additional fee may be charged to meet the actual cost. 
If the projected cost exceeds the actual cost, the difference may be refunded to the 
applicant. All fees collected pursuant to this section must be deposited directly to the 
General Fl:md Administrative Expenses Other Special Revenue Funds account, which is a 
dedicated nonlapsing account within the Gambling Control Board, except that $25,000 of 
the annual renewal fee for a slot machine operator or casino operator must be deposited to 
the Gross Slot Income Other Special Revenue Fmld Funds account within the Gambling 
Control Board to be transferred to the municipality in which the slot machine facility or 
casino is operated, in accordance with subsection 2. All application and registration fees 
are nonrefundable and are due upon submission of the application. 
Sec. 6. Gambling Control Board to adopt emergency major substantive 
rules. The rules required by this .Act are emergency major substantive rules of the 
Department of Public Safety, Gambling Control Board and must be adopted no later than 
August 15, 2011. Those same rules must be provisionally adopted and submitted to the 
Legislature for approval no later than January 13,2012. 
Sec. 7. Report. By February 15, 2012, the Department of Public Safety, Gambling 
Control Board shall report to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having 
jurisdiction over matters relating to the operation of casinos the process used to develop 
and adopt rules that prescribe the specific method and rules of play for table games 
authorized to be conducted at a casino, including comments received from the casino 
operator and any source used as a model for game play rules. 
Emergency clause. 
In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved.' 
SUMMARY 
This amendment replaces the bill, which was a concept draft. 
The amendment 
includes an emergency preamble and clause. The amendment requires the Department of 
Public Safety, Gambling Control Board to adopt emergency major substantive rules 
governing the oversight of the operation of table games at a casino. The rules must 
ensure that bets on table games are not made with cash and that the exchange of cash for 
chips, tokens or other items of value is done in a manner that can provide a thorough 
audit. The amendment requires the board to report on the process for developing rules 
that govern the rules of play for table games. The amendment changes current law to 
provide that license and application fees collected by the board go to a dedicated account 
for the administration of the board rather than to the General Fund. 
FISCAL NOTE REQUIRED 
(See attached) 
COMMITTEE AMENDMENT 
Approved: 06/04111 ;tvac:.. 
LD643 
LR 1555(02) 
An Act To Protect Public Safety in the Operation of the Oxford County Casino 
Fiscal Note for Bill as Amended by Committee Amendment "11' 
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs 
Net Cost (Savings) 
General Fund 
Revenue 
General Fund 
Other Special Revenue Funds 
Fiscal Detail and Notes 
Fiscal Note Required: No 
Fiscal Note 
FY2011-12 
$461,950 
($461,950) 
$461,950 
FY 2012-13 
$1,078,650 
($1,078,650) 
$1,078,650 
Projections 
FY 2013-14 
$703,400 
($703,400) 
$703,400 
Projections 
FY 2014-15 
$703,400 
($703,400) 
$703,400 
This legislation provides that casino an<;l racino application and license fees are deposited into a dedicated account 
within the Department of Public Safety, Gambling Control Board. Currently, these fees are deposited into the General 
Fund. There will be a reduction in General Fund revenues of $461,950 in fiscal year 2011-12 and $1,078,650 in fiscal 
year 2012-13 and a corresponding increase in Other Special Revenue Funds revenue. 
Additional costs to the Department of Public Safety associated with rulemaking and reporting on those rules can be 
absorbed with existing staff and within existing budgeted resources. 
LR1555(02) - Fiscal Note - Page 1 of 1