S-4729.3  _______________________________________________

 

                         SENATE BILL 6735

          _______________________________________________

 

State of Washington      54th Legislature     1996 Regular Session

 

By Senators Pelz, Sutherland, Hargrove, Schow, Smith and Fairley

 

Read first time 01/29/96.  Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce & Trade.

 

Requiring disclosure of campaign contributions from gambling interests.



    AN ACT Relating to disclosure requirements for campaign contributions by gambling interests; amending RCW 42.17.090, 9.46.075, and 9.46.070; adding a new section to chapter 42.17 RCW; and providing an effective date.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 1.  A new section is added to chapter 42.17 RCW to read as follows:

    (1) A contribution to a candidate, a political party, or a caucus political committee by a gambling interest, as defined in subsection (2) of this section, must be accompanied by an affirmative disclosure that the contribution is from a gambling interest and set forth, in a form prescribed by the commission, the percentage of the contributor's gross revenues attributable to activities licensed under chapter 9.46 RCW.

    (2) For purposes of this section, "gambling interest" means (a) a licensee under chapter 9.46 RCW, other than organizations licensed under RCW 9.46.070 (1) and (3); and (b) an individual or business entity with which a federally recognized Indian tribe has a contractual agreement for financing, development, or operation of any class III gaming establishment on Indian lands as defined by the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act and an Indian tribe that is party to a compact with the state of Washington under the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.

    (3) The commission shall prescribe a form for the disclosure and reporting of percentage of gross revenues required by subsection (1) of this section.  The form must provide for the reporting of this information within specified ranges of percentages developed in consultation with the gambling commission and other appropriate parties.

 

    Sec. 2.  RCW 42.17.090 and 1993 c 256 s 6 are each amended to read as follows:

    (1) Each report required under RCW 42.17.080 (1) and (2) shall disclose the following:

    (a) The funds on hand at the beginning of the period;

    (b) The name and address of each person who has made one or more contributions during the period, together with the money value and date of such contributions and the aggregate value of all contributions received from each such person during the campaign or in the case of a continuing political committee, the current calendar year:  PROVIDED, That pledges in the aggregate of less than one hundred dollars from any one person need not be reported:  PROVIDED FURTHER, That the income which results from a fund-raising activity conducted in accordance with RCW 42.17.067 may be reported as one lump sum, with the exception of that portion of such income which was received from persons whose names and addresses are required to be included in the report required by RCW 42.17.067:  PROVIDED FURTHER, That contributions of no more than twenty-five dollars in the aggregate from any one person during the election campaign may be reported as one lump sum so long as the campaign treasurer maintains a separate and private list of the name, address, and amount of each such contributor:  PROVIDED FURTHER, That the money value of contributions of postage shall be the face value of such postage;

    (c) Each loan, promissory note, or security instrument to be used by or for the benefit of the candidate or political committee made by any person, together with the names and addresses of the lender and each person liable directly, indirectly or contingently and the date and amount of each such loan, promissory note, or security instrument;

    (d) All other contributions not otherwise listed or exempted;

    (e) The name and address of each candidate or political committee to which any transfer of funds was made, together with the amounts and dates of such transfers;

    (f) The name and address of each person to whom an expenditure was made in the aggregate amount of more than fifty dollars during the period covered by this report, and the amount, date, and purpose of each such expenditure.  A candidate for state executive or state legislative office or the political committee of such a candidate shall report this information for an expenditure under one of the following categories, whichever is appropriate:  (i) Expenditures for the election of the candidate; (ii) expenditures for nonreimbursed public office-related expenses; (iii) expenditures required to be reported under (e) of this subsection; or (iv) expenditures of surplus funds and other expenditures.  The report of such a candidate or committee shall contain a separate total of expenditures for each category and a total sum of all expenditures.  Other candidates and political committees need not report information regarding expenditures under the categories listed in (i) through (iv) of this subsection or under similar such categories unless required to do so by the commission by rule.  The report of such an other candidate or committee shall also contain the total sum of all expenditures;

    (g) The name and address of each person to whom any expenditure was made directly or indirectly to compensate the person for soliciting or procuring signatures on an initiative or referendum petition, the amount of such compensation to each such person, and the total of the expenditures made for this purpose.  Such expenditures shall be reported under this subsection (1)(g) whether the expenditures are or are not also required to be reported under (f) of this subsection;

    (h) The name and address of any person and the amount owed for any debt, obligation, note, unpaid loan, or other liability in the amount of more than two hundred fifty dollars or in the amount of more than fifty dollars that has been outstanding for over thirty days;

    (i) The surplus or deficit of contributions over expenditures;

    (j) The disposition made in accordance with RCW 42.17.095 of any surplus funds;

    (k) Such other information as shall be required by the commission by rule in conformance with the policies and purposes of this chapter; ((and))

    (l) Funds received from a political committee not otherwise required to report under this chapter (a "nonreporting committee").  Such funds shall be forfeited to the state of Washington unless the nonreporting committee has filed or within ten days following such receipt files with the commission a statement disclosing:  (i) Its name and address; (ii) the purposes of the nonreporting committee; (iii) the names, addresses, and titles of its officers or if it has no officers, the names, addresses, and titles of its responsible leaders; (iv) the name, office sought, and party affiliation of each candidate in the state of Washington whom the nonreporting committee is supporting, and, if such committee is supporting the entire ticket of any party, the name of the party; (v) the ballot proposition supported or opposed in the state of Washington, if any, and whether such committee is in favor of or opposed to such proposition; (vi) the name and address of each person residing in the state of Washington or corporation which has a place of business in the state of Washington who has made one or more contributions in the aggregate of more than twenty-five dollars to the nonreporting committee during the current calendar year, together with the money value and date of such contributions; (vii) the name and address of each person in the state of Washington to whom an expenditure was made by the nonreporting committee on behalf of a candidate or political committee in the aggregate amount of more than fifty dollars, the amount, date, and purpose of such expenditure, and the total sum of such expenditures; (viii) such other information as the commission may prescribe by rule, in keeping with the policies and purposes of this chapter.  A nonreporting committee incurring an obligation to file additional reports in a calendar year may satisfy the obligation by filing with the commission a letter providing updating or amending information; and

    (m) Contributions received during the reporting period from gambling interests and disclosed to the committee under section 1 of this act.

    (2) The treasurer and the candidate shall certify the correctness of each report.

 

    Sec. 3.  RCW 9.46.075 and 1981 c 139 s 4 are each amended to read as follows:

    The commission may deny an application, or suspend or revoke any license or permit issued by it, for any reason or reasons((,)) it deems to be in the public interest.  These reasons shall include, but not be limited to, cases wherein the applicant or licensee, or any person with any interest therein:

    (1) Has violated, failed, or refused to comply with the provisions, requirements, conditions, limitations, or duties imposed by chapter 9.46 RCW and any amendments thereto, or any rules adopted by the commission pursuant thereto, or when a violation of any provision of chapter 9.46 RCW, or any commission rule, has occurred upon any premises occupied or operated by any such person or over which he or she has substantial control;

    (2) Knowingly causes, aids, abets, or conspires with another to cause, any person to violate any of the laws of this state or the rules of the commission;

    (3) Has obtained a license or permit by fraud, misrepresentation, concealment, or through inadvertence or mistake;

    (4) Has been convicted of, or forfeited bond upon a charge of, or pleaded guilty to, forgery, larceny, extortion, conspiracy to defraud, willful failure to make required payments or reports to a governmental agency at any level, or filing false reports therewith, or of any similar offense or offenses, or of bribing or otherwise unlawfully influencing a public official or employee of any state or the United States, or of any crime, whether a felony or misdemeanor involving any gambling activity or physical harm to individuals or involving moral turpitude;

    (5) Denies the commission or its authorized representatives, including authorized local law enforcement agencies, access to any place where a licensed activity is conducted or who fails promptly to produce for inspection or audit any book, record, document, or item required by law or commission rule;

    (6) Shall fail to display its license on the premises where the licensed activity is conducted at all times during the operation of the licensed activity;

    (7) Makes a misrepresentation of, or fails to disclose, a material fact to the commission;

    (8) Fails to prove, by clear and convincing evidence, that he, she or it is qualified in accordance with the provisions of this chapter;

    (9) Is subject to current prosecution or pending charges, or a conviction which is under appeal, for any of the offenses included under subsection (4) of this section:  PROVIDED, That at the request of an applicant for an original license, the commission may defer decision upon the application during the pendency of such prosecution or appeal;

    (10) Has pursued or is pursuing economic gain in an occupational manner or context which is in violation of the criminal or civil public policy of this state if such pursuit creates probable cause to believe that the participation of such person in gambling or related activities would be inimical to the proper operation of an authorized gambling or related activity in this state.  For the purposes of this section, occupational manner or context shall be defined as the systematic planning, administration, management, or execution of an activity for financial gain;

    (11) Is a career offender or a member of a career offender cartel or an associate of a career offender or career offender cartel in such a manner which creates probable cause to believe that the association is of such a nature as to be inimical to the policy of this chapter or to the proper operation of the authorized gambling or related activities in this state.  For the purposes of this section, career offender shall be defined as any person whose behavior is pursued in an occupational manner or context for the purpose of economic gain utilizing such methods as are deemed criminal violations of the public policy of this state.  A career offender cartel shall be defined as any group of persons who operate together as career offenders;

    (12) Has failed to comply with section 1 of this act requiring the disclosure of information in connection with a campaign contribution.

    For the purpose of reviewing any application for a license and for considering the denial, suspension, or revocation of any license the gambling commission may consider any prior criminal conduct of the applicant or licensee and the provisions of RCW 9.95.240 and of chapter 9.96A RCW shall not apply to such cases.

 

    Sec. 4.  RCW 9.46.070 and 1993 c 344 s 1 are each amended to read as follows:

    The commission shall have the following powers and duties:

    (1) To authorize and issue licenses for a period not to exceed one year to bona fide charitable or nonprofit organizations approved by the commission meeting the requirements of this chapter and any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto permitting said organizations to conduct bingo games, raffles, amusement games, and social card games, to utilize punch boards and pull-tabs in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto and to revoke or suspend said licenses for violation of any provisions of this chapter or any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto:  PROVIDED, That the commission shall not deny a license to an otherwise qualified applicant in an effort to limit the number of licenses to be issued:  PROVIDED FURTHER, That the commission or director shall not issue, deny, suspend, or revoke any license because of considerations of race, sex, creed, color, or national origin:  AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That the commission may authorize the director to temporarily issue or suspend licenses subject to final action by the commission;

    (2) To authorize and issue licenses for a period not to exceed one year to any person, association, or organization operating a business primarily engaged in the selling of items of food or drink for consumption on the premises, approved by the commission meeting the requirements of this chapter and any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto permitting said person, association, or organization to utilize punch boards and pull-tabs and to conduct social card games as a commercial stimulant in accordance with the provisions of this chapter and any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto and to revoke or suspend said licenses for violation of any provisions of this chapter and any rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto:  PROVIDED, That the commission shall not deny a license to an otherwise qualified applicant in an effort to limit the number of licenses to be issued:  PROVIDED FURTHER, That the commission may authorize the director to temporarily issue or suspend licenses subject to final action by the commission;

    (3) To authorize and issue licenses for a period not to exceed one year to any person, association, or organization approved by the commission meeting the requirements of this chapter and meeting the requirements of any rules and regulations adopted by the commission pursuant to this chapter as now or hereafter amended, permitting said person, association, or organization to conduct or operate amusement games in such manner and at such locations as the commission may determine;

    (4) To authorize, require, and issue, for a period not to exceed one year, such licenses as the commission may by rule provide, to any person, association, or organization to engage in the selling, distributing, or otherwise supplying or in the manufacturing of devices for use within this state for those activities authorized by this chapter;

    (5) To establish a schedule of annual license fees for carrying on specific gambling activities upon the premises, and for such other activities as may be licensed by the commission, which fees shall provide to the commission not less than an amount of money adequate to cover all costs incurred by the commission relative to licensing under this chapter and the enforcement by the commission of the provisions of this chapter and rules and regulations adopted pursuant thereto:  PROVIDED, That all licensing fees shall be submitted with an application therefor and such portion of said fee as the commission may determine, based upon its cost of processing and investigation, shall be retained by the commission upon the withdrawal or denial of any such license application as its reasonable expense for processing the application and investigation into the granting thereof:  PROVIDED FURTHER, That if in a particular case the basic license fee established by the commission for a particular class of license is less than the commission's actual expenses to investigate that particular application, the commission may at any time charge to that applicant such additional fees as are necessary to pay the commission for those costs.  The commission may decline to proceed with its investigation and no license shall be issued until the commission has been fully paid therefor by the applicant:  AND PROVIDED FURTHER, That the commission may establish fees for the furnishing by it to licensees of identification stamps to be affixed to such devices and equipment as required by the commission and for such other special services or programs required or offered by the commission, the amount of each of these fees to be not less than is adequate to offset the cost to the commission of the stamps and of administering their dispersal to licensees or the cost of administering such other special services, requirements or programs;

    (6) To prescribe the manner and method of payment of taxes, fees and penalties to be paid to or collected by the commission;

    (7) To require that applications for all licenses contain such information as may be required by the commission:  PROVIDED, That all persons (a) having a managerial or ownership interest in any gambling activity, or the building in which any gambling activity occurs, or the equipment to be used for any gambling activity, or (b) participating as an employee in the operation of any gambling activity, shall be listed on the application for the license and the applicant shall certify on the application, under oath, that the persons named on the application are all of the persons known to have an interest in any gambling activity, building, or equipment by the person making such application:  PROVIDED FURTHER, That the commission may require fingerprinting and background checks on any persons seeking licenses under this chapter or of any person holding an interest in any gambling activity, building, or equipment to be used therefor, or of any person participating as an employee in the operation of any gambling activity;

    (8) To require that any license holder maintain records as directed by the commission and submit such reports as the commission may deem necessary;

    (9) To require that all income from bingo games, raffles, and amusement games be recorded and reported as established by rule or regulation of the commission to the extent deemed necessary by considering the scope and character of the gambling activity in such a manner that will disclose gross income from any gambling activity, amounts received from each player, the nature and value of prizes, and the fact of distributions of such prizes to the winners thereof;

    (10) To regulate and establish maximum limitations on income derived from bingo.  In establishing limitations pursuant to this subsection the commission shall take into account (i) the nature, character, and scope of the activities of the licensee; (ii) the source of all other income of the licensee; and (iii) the percentage or extent to which income derived from bingo is used for charitable, as distinguished from nonprofit, purposes.  However, the commission's powers and duties granted by this subsection are discretionary and not mandatory;

    (11) To regulate and establish the type and scope of and manner of conducting the gambling activities authorized by this chapter, including but not limited to, the extent of wager, money, or other thing of value which may be wagered or contributed or won by a player in any such activities;

    (12) To regulate the collection of and the accounting for the fee which may be imposed by an organization, corporation or person licensed to conduct a social card game on a person desiring to become a player in a social card game in accordance with RCW 9.46.0281(4);

    (13) To cooperate with and secure the cooperation of county, city, and other local or state agencies in investigating any matter within the scope of its duties and responsibilities;

    (14) In accordance with RCW 9.46.080, to adopt such rules and regulations as are deemed necessary to carry out the purposes and provisions of this chapter.  All rules and regulations shall be adopted pursuant to the administrative procedure act, chapter 34.05 RCW;

    (15) To set forth for the perusal of counties, city-counties, cities and towns, model ordinances by which any legislative authority thereof may enter into the taxing of any gambling activity authorized by this chapter;

    (16) To establish and regulate a maximum limit on salaries or wages which may be paid to persons employed in connection with activities conducted by bona fide charitable or nonprofit organizations and authorized by this chapter, where payment of such persons is allowed, and to regulate and establish maximum limits for other expenses in connection with such authorized activities, including but not limited to rent or lease payments.  However, the commissioner's powers and duties granted by this subsection are discretionary and not mandatory.

    In establishing these maximum limits the commission shall take into account the amount of income received, or expected to be received, from the class of activities to which the limits will apply and the amount of money the games could generate for authorized charitable or nonprofit purposes absent such expenses.  The commission may also take into account, in its discretion, other factors, including but not limited to, the local prevailing wage scale and whether charitable purposes are benefited by the activities;

    (17) To authorize, require, and issue for a period not to exceed one year such licenses or permits, for which the commission may by rule provide, to any person to work for any operator of any gambling activity authorized by this chapter in connection with that activity, or any manufacturer, supplier, or distributor of devices for those activities in connection with such business.  The commission shall not require that persons working solely as volunteers in an authorized activity conducted by a bona fide charitable or bona fide nonprofit organization, who receive no compensation of any kind for any purpose from that organization, and who have no managerial or supervisory responsibility in connection with that activity, be licensed to do such work.  The commission may require that licensees employing such unlicensed volunteers submit to the commission periodically a list of the names, addresses, and dates of birth of the volunteers.  If any volunteer is not approved by the commission, the commission may require that the licensee not allow that person to work in connection with the licensed activity;

    (18) To publish and make available at the office of the commission or elsewhere to anyone requesting it a list of the commission licensees, including the name, address, type of license, and license number of each licensee;

    (19) To establish guidelines for determining what constitutes active membership in bona fide nonprofit or charitable organizations for the purposes of this chapter; ((and))

    (20) To inform licensees of the obligation to comply with section 1 of this act when making campaign contributions; and

    (21) To perform all other matters and things necessary to carry out the purposes and provisions of this chapter.

 

    NEW SECTION.  Sec. 5.  This act takes effect January 1, 1997.

 


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