S-1708               _______________________________________________

                                   SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 8408

                        _______________________________________________

State of Washington                               51st Legislature                              1989 Regular Session

By Senators Moore and Vognild

Read first time 2/20/89 and referred to Committee on Economic Development & Labor.

WHEREAS, The Washington State Gambling Commission was created in 1973 to license, regulate, and control authorized private gambling activities in this state; and

          WHEREAS, The administrative costs associated with the operation of the Gambling Commission have increased from three million fifty-six thousand dollars in 1979 to eight million two thousand dollars in 1988 and the number of employees has increased from forty-nine in 1979 to ninety-four in 1988; and

          WHEREAS, The Washington State Lottery Commission was created in 1982 to operate state run gambling activities; and

          WHEREAS, The Washington State Lottery Commission in 1988 had one hundred thirty-six employees and seven million one thousand dollars in administrative costs; and

          WHEREAS, The primary difference between these two state agencies is that one regulates private gambling activities and the other promotes a state-owned gambling activity; and

          WHEREAS, These two state agencies, despite their differences, have as a common denominator, the activity of gambling; and

          WHEREAS, These two state agencies have totally separate and independent rules, regulations, equipment, offices, and staff;

          NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, By the Senate of the state of Washington, the House of Representatives concurring, That a Joint Select Committee on Gambling be established to review the jurisdiction, procedures, and efficiency of operations of the Washington State Gambling Commission and the Washington State Lottery Commission; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee shall determine whether some or all operations of these two commissions should be combined, eliminated, or curtailed in order to achieve greater efficiency without losing quality of control over gambling activities; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee shall consist of eight voting members appointed as follows:

          (1) Two members from each caucus of the Senate, selected by the President of the Senate;

          (2) Two members from each caucus of the House of Representatives, selected by the Speaker; and

          BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee shall use legislative staff and facilities; and

          BE FURTHER RESOLVED, That the committee shall report its findings and recommendations to the legislature by January 1990 and the committee shall cease to exist thereafter.