BOSCOLA CALLS FOR ETHICAL CHANGES IN GAMING
Legislation would prohibit General Assembly members and their immediate families from profiting off “slot” entities 

BETHLEHEM (Jan 25) - Senator Lisa M. Boscola today announced that she has introduced two pieces of legislation prohibiting members of the General Assembly, all other public officials and their immediate family members from having any financial interest in licensed gambling entities.

Senate Resolution 7 specifically amends the Senate rules and is a temporary measure for Senators only until the General Assembly passes meaningful legislation that will include all members of the State Legislature and all other public officials. The other measure, Senate Bill 75, goes further by specifically amending Title 65, the Public Officials statute, and not the new slots law.

“This is the right thing to do,” Boscola said. “Members of the General Assembly, public officials and their family members should not be profiteering through this new law,” said Boscola.

Last year, the House and Senate approved Senate Bill 1209, which was later vetoed by Governor Rendell due to several amendments that were attached and unrelated to the financial interest issue of gaming.  Since SB 75 amends Title 65, it could not be “watered down” by other amendments.

“There is no doubt that a stand-alone prohibition would pass the General Assembly,” Boscola said. “These proposals provide the legislature with an opportunity to enact true reform of the gaming law,” said Boscola.

Boscola added, “The current law does not encompass good government.  We need to correct this problem to ensure that the process of providing real property tax relief moves forward without any ethical concerns. The citizens of the Commonwealth deserve no less.”

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