An Act To Amend the Laws Pertaining to High-stakes Beano
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0535
Committee: Veterans and Legal Affairs
Sponsors: MITCHELL, SCHNEIDER, CLARK, JOHNSON, MAKER, PICCHIOTTI, SOCTOMAH, WOOD
Amends: 17 MRSA §314-A

Legislative Document 
No. 535 
H.P. 418 
House of Representatives, February 15, 2011 
An Act To Amend the Laws Pertaining to High-stakes Beano 
(EMERGENCY) 
Reference to the Committee on Veterans and Legal Affairs suggested and ordered printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative MITCHELL of the Penobscot Nation. 
Cosponsored by Senator SCHNEIDER of Penobscot and 
Representatives: CLARK of Millinocket, JOHNSON of Greenville, MAKER of Calais, 
PICCHIOTTI of Fairfield, SOCTOMAH of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, WOOD of Sabattus. 
Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and 
Whereas, all of Maine is facing difficult economic and employment problems, and 
this is especially true of the federally recognized Indian tribes in Maine; and 
Whereas, this legislation would provide immediate relief to the tribes in Maine; 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.  17 MRSA §314-A, sub-§1-A, as amended by PL 2009, c. 505, §1, is 
further amended to read: 
1-A.  Sealed tickets.  The Chief of the State Police may also issue to any federally 
recognized Indian tribe licenses to sell lucky seven or other similar sealed tickets in 
accordance with section 324-A.  The licensee may operate a dispenser to sell the lucky 
seven or other similar tickets.  As used in this subsection, "dispenser" means a 
mechanical or electrical device or machine that, upon the insertion of money, credit or 
something of value, dispenses printed lucky seven or other similar tickets.  The element 
of chance must be provided by the ticket itself, not by the dispenser.  The licensee may 
sell sealed tickets at any time. The Chief of the State Police may adopt rules to facilitate 
the use of dispensers.  Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical 
rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
Sec. 2.  17 MRSA §314-A, sub-§3, as repealed and replaced by PL 1991, c. 426, 
§4, is amended to read: 
3.  Operation of games.  An Except as restricted in section 312, subsection 3, an 
organization licensed under this section may operate high-stakes beano games on 27 
weekends per year, whether or not consecutive.  For purposes of this section, a weekend 
consists of Saturday and the immediately following Sunday at any time.  A high-stakes 
beano game licensed under this section and canceled for any reason may be rescheduled 
at any time, as long as 5 days prior notice of the new date is given to the Chief of the 
State Police. Any federally recognized Indian tribe licensed to operate high-stakes beano 
games under this section may operate high-stakes beano games anywhere in the county of 
that tribe’s primary seat of government. 
Sec. 3.  17 MRSA §314-A, sub-§3-A, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. I, §5 and 
affected by Pt. X, §2, is repealed. 
Sec. 4.  17 MRSA §314-A, sub-§4, as amended by PL 2009, c. 534, §1, is further 
amended to read: 
4.  Term of license; fees.  A license issued under this section is valid for a period of 
one year.  The annual license fee for a high-stakes beano license is $50,000, except that 
the annual license fee due in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 is $25,000 $15,000. License fees 
may be paid in advance in quarterly installments.  All license fees must be paid to the 
Treasurer of State to be credited to the General Fund. 
Sec. 5.  17 MRSA §314-A, sub-§5, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. I, §6 
and affected by Pt. X, §2, is amended to read: 
A.    Transfer or assign a license issued under this section; or 
Sec. 6.  17 MRSA §314-A, sub-§5, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 452, Pt. I, §6 
and affected by Pt. X, §2, is amended to read: 
B.    Operate or conduct a beano game or high-stakes beano game on the same 
premises on the same date as another licensee; or. 
Sec. 7.  17 MRSA §314-A, sub-§5, ¶C, as amended by PL 2009, c. 347, §1, is 
repealed. 
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this 
legislation takes effect when approved. 
SUMMARY 
This bill allows federally recognized Indian tribes in Maine licensed to sell sealed 
tickets to sell the tickets at any time.  It also allows the operation of high-stakes beano 
games at any time and anywhere in the county that the Indian tribe has its primary seat of 
government and it reduces the annual license fee for operating high-stakes beano games 
to $15,000.