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                              ENGROSSED HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 4403

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State of Washington                              53rd Legislature                             1993 Regular Session

By Representatives Heavey, Veloria, Long, Shin, Forner, Schmidt, R. Meyers, Johanson, Leonard, Chandler, Lisk, Pruitt, I. Ballasiotes and Morris

Read first time 01/13/93.  Referred to Committee on Commerce & Labor.

Advocating the creation of a task force to study issues on gambling.

          WHEREAS, Legalized wagering in Washington State has increased significantly during the past two decades; and

          WHEREAS, Legalized wagering in neighboring states is expanding into such games as keno and video poker and is expected to continue increasing during the coming years; and

          WHEREAS, Under Federal law, tribal gambling has expanded into casino gambling; and

          WHEREAS, The United States Congress recently authorized coastal gambling on cruise ships; and

          WHEREAS, The State's public policy has been to prevent organized crime from infiltrating legalized gambling; and

          WHEREAS, Increased competition for the gambling dollar will result in pressure to legislate increases in the nature and scope of gambling currently authorized in the State; and

          WHEREAS, The State's public policy on gambling, in many respects, has not been clearly defined;

          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the House of Representatives of the State of Washington, the Senate concurring, That a legislative task force on Washington state gambling policy be established to examine:  (1) The current nature and scope of legal gambling within the State; (2) the future of gambling in the State, in light of recent expansion, the authorization of tribal and coastal gambling, and increased competition for the gambling dollar; and (3) the need for more clearly defining the State's public policy on gambling; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force consist of ten voting members, three members from the majority caucus and two members from the minority caucus of the Senate, appointed by the President of the Senate; at least one member from each caucus shall be a member of the Senate labor and commerce committee; and three members from the majority caucus and two members from the minority caucus of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives; at least one member from each caucus shall be a member of the House commerce and labor committee.  In addition, the Washington state gambling commission, the Washington state horse racing commission, and the Washington state lottery commission shall cooperate with the task force and maintain a liaison representative, who shall be a nonvoting member.  The task force shall choose its chair and vice-chair from among its membership; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force, where feasible, may consult with individuals from the public and private sector or ask such persons to establish an advisory committee; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force shall use legislative staff and facilities.  All expenses of the task force, including travel, shall be paid jointly by the Senate and the House of Representatives; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force report its findings and recommendations to the legislature by January 1, 1994; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the task force shall expire July 1, 1994.

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