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of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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    Gaming Act

    Pursuant to the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act, 4 ​Pa.C.S. 1101 et seq. (“Gaming Act”), the State Ethics Commission has responsibilities for:

    1. Making determinations, upon request, as to whether the duties of particular individuals “substantially involve the development or adoption of regulations or policy, licensing, or enforcement” under the Gaming Act, so as to make such individuals subject to certain “revolving-door” restrictions (4 Pa.C.S. 1201(h)(13)-(14));
    2. Biennially publishing a listing of all State, county, municipal and other government positions meeting the definitions of the terms “public official” or “executive-level public employee” set forth in Section 1512(b) of the Gaming Act, for the purpose of enabling the identification of persons who would be subject to the prohibitions of Section 1512 (4 Pa.C.S. 1512(a), (A.1), (A.2), (A.3), (A.4), (A.5), (b)); and
    3. Determining whether to extend deadlines for divestiture of financial interests prohibited under Section 1512 of the Gaming Act (4 Pa.C.S. 1512(b)).

    The following link will direct you to the full version of the Gaming Act. Once you click on the below link, selecting the top link on the next page will take you to another link outside the Gaming Control Board website which contains the current version of the Gaming Act:

    Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board: Legislation

    Powers & Duties

    In 2006, the General Assembly passed amendments to the Pennsylvania Race Horse Development and Gaming Act ("Gaming Act"), 4 Pa.C.S 1101 et seq. These amendments to the Gaming Act, contained within Act 135 of 2006, took effect on November 1, 2006, and charged the Commission with new duties. The Commission previously had no duties under the Gaming Act.

    Pursuant to the Gaming Act, as amended by Act 135 of 2006, the Commission is responsible for:

    Making determinations, upon request, as to whether particular individuals employed by the Gaming Control Board or employed by independent contractors of the Board would be subject to certain “revolving-door” provisions within the Gaming Act, (see 4 Pa.C.S. 1201(h)(13)-(14));

    Biennially publishing a listing of all state, county, municipal and other government positions meeting the definitions of the terms “public official” or “executive-level public employees” set forth in Section 1512(b) of the Gaming Act, for the purpose of enabling the identification of persons who would be subject to the prohibitions of Section 1512; and

    Determining whether to extend deadlines by which executive-level public employees, public officials, party officers or their immediate family members would be required to divest themselves of financial interests that they would be prohibited from holding under Section 1512 of the Gaming Act. 

    Act 114 of 2016

    Pursuant to Act 114 of 2016, pertaining to employees of the State Horse Racing Commission, the Commission has responsibilities for:

    (1) Biennially publishing a list of all employment positions within the State Horse Racing Commission with duties that would subject the individuals in those positions to the “revolving door/post-termination” restrictions at 3 Pa.C.S. 9311(b)(6)(xiv); and

    (2) Making a determination, upon request, as to whether a particular individual/person would be subject to the “revolving door/post-termination” restrictions at 3 Pa.C.S. 9311(b)(6)(xiv).