HR 8 am: Establishing the House Task Force on Alaska Gaming Policy to consider the establishment of a gaming commission and study gaming activities in the state; and providing for a report of the findings to the Alaska Legislative Council.
00 HOUSE RESOLUTION NO. 8 am 01 Establishing the House Task Force on Alaska Gaming Policy to consider the 02 establishment of a gaming commission and study gaming activities in the state; and 03 providing for a report of the findings to the Alaska Legislative Council. 04 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES: 05 WHEREAS gaming activities allowed by the State of Alaska need additional 06 oversight to protect the public; and 07 WHEREAS the legislature wishes to ensure that all games of chance and contests of 08 skill are operated fairly; and 09 WHEREAS the legislature has authorized over 22 types of games of chance and 10 contests of skill, including ice classics, raffles, fish derbies, rain classics, pull-tabs, dog 11 mushing, and bingo games; and 12 WHEREAS the people of the state have enjoyed recreational gaming activities since 13 the first pioneers came to the "Last Frontier," and a bill authorizing gaming activities was 14 passed by the very first Alaska State Legislature; and 15 WHEREAS the proceeds from authorized gaming activity in Alaska exceed
01 $358,000,000 annually; and 02 WHEREAS nonprofit organizations in the state benefit by receiving income 03 amounting to approximately $85,000,000 from gaming revenue; and 04 WHEREAS 1,200 nonprofit organizations with permits depend on gaming to fund 05 their good work to benefit Alaskans; and 06 WHEREAS a majority of the people of the state participate in reasonable gaming 07 activities; and 08 WHEREAS citizens of the state are preparing initiatives that propose additional 09 legalized gaming activity; and 10 WHEREAS the legislature finds and determines that it is in the public interest to have 11 controlled and well managed gaming in the state to protect the public; and 12 WHEREAS the legislature finds that most states with legalized gaming have a 13 gaming commission; and 14 WHEREAS a gaming commission monitors, regulates, and enforces gaming laws for 15 the public benefit; 16 BE IT RESOLVED that the House of Representatives establishes in the legislative 17 branch the House Task Force on Alaska Gaming Policy to research and make 18 recommendations to the legislature relating to the pros and cons of establishing a gaming 19 commission; if a gaming commission is recommended, the composition and responsibilities 20 of the gaming commission; the gaming activities to be permitted; and other findings before 21 January 1, 2006; and be it 22 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Speaker of the House of Representatives is 23 respectfully requested to appoint to the task force 24 (1) three representatives from the House of Representatives, including at least 25 one member from the minority; 26 (2) one member from the Department of Revenue; 27 (3) one member from the Alaska hospitality industry; 28 (4) two members from charitable nonprofit organizations who receive income 29 from gaming activities, including not less than one member from a veteran's organization; 30 (5) two members who have a permit to operate under AS 05.15.122; including 31 not less than one member who represents multiple beneficiary permittees; and
01 (6) two members of the general public; and be it 02 FURTHER RESOLVED that the Alaska Legislative Council shall provide 03 reasonably necessary administrative services to the task force upon request of the task force; 04 and be it 05 FURTHER RESOLVED that the House members are entitled to their normal rates of 06 per diem and travel and that the members who are not employed by the state are not entitled 07 to per diem; and be it 08 FURTHER RESOLVED that the task force established under this resolution is 09 terminated January 30, 2006.