BILL ANALYSIS                                                                                                                                                                                                    Ó




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          |SENATE RULES COMMITTEE            |                        SB 650|
          |Office of Senate Floor Analyses   |                              |
          |(916) 651-1520    Fax: (916)      |                              |
          |327-4478                          |                              |
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                                      CONSENT 


          Bill No:  SB 650
          Author:   Hall (D)
          Amended:  4/8/15  
          Vote:     21  

           SENATE GOVERNMENTAL ORG. COMMITTEE:  7-0, 4/28/15
           AYES:  Hall, Block, Hernandez, Hill, Hueso, Lara, McGuire
           NO VOTE RECORDED:  Berryhill, Gaines, Galgiani, Vidak

           SUBJECT:   California Gambling Control Commission:  records


          SOURCE:    Author
          
          DIGEST:    This bill clarifies that the California Gambling  
          Control Commission (CGCC) shall keep a record pertaining to its  
          regular and special meetings and a record of all applications  
          for licenses under the Gambling Control Act open to public  
          inspection during normal business hours.

          ANALYSIS:
          
          Existing law:
          
          1)Establishes, under the Gambling Control Act, the CGCC and  
            requires five members to be appointed to the CGCC by the  
            Governor, subject to confirmation by the California State  
            Senate.

          2)Requires the CGCC to keep a record of all proceedings at its  
            regular and special meetings and requires that these records  
            be open to public inspection.

          3)Requires the Department of Justice to maintain a file of all  
            applications for licenses under the Gambling Control Act.  The  








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            CGCC shall maintain a record of all actions taken with respect  
            to those applications and make that record open to public  
            inspection. 

          This bill clarifies that the CGCC shall make these records open  
          to public inspection during normal business hours. 

          Background

          Purpose of the bill.  The author argues that this bill simply  
          aims to clarify when records maintained by the CGGC should be  
          made open for public inspection.  By clarifying that records  
          should be made open for public inspections during normal  
          business hours, we can ensure that these records are available  
          for public inspection during the time of day when employees are  
          expected to be in the office while continuing to provide  
          transparency and open government. 

          The Gambling Control Act.  The Gambling Control Act, established  
          in 1998, created a comprehensive scheme for statewide regulation  
          of legal gambling under a bifurcated system of administration  
          involving the Bureau of Gambling Control (Bureau) within the  
          Attorney General's Office and the five-member CGCC by the  
          Governor.  The CGCC is authorized to establish minimum  
          regulatory standards for the gambling industry and to ensure  
          that the state gambling licenses are not issued to or held by  
          unsuitable or unqualified individuals. 

          The Bureau monitors the conduct of gaming operations to ensure  
          compliance with state gambling laws and conducts extensive  
          background investigations of applicants seeking a state gambling  
          license.  The Bureau also conducts background checks for all key  
          employees and state gambling license and vendor applications.  

          The Bureau inspects premises where gambling is conducted,  
          examines gambling equipment, audits papers, books, and records  
          of the gambling establishment, investigates suspected violations  
          of gambling laws, and is ultimately responsible for enforcing  
          compliance with all state laws pertaining to gambling. 

          Prior/Related Legislation
          








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          SB 399 (Hall, 2015) requires that a public record of every vote  
          of the CGCC be posted on the CGCC's Internet Web site no later  
          than 48 hours after the vote is taken.  

          AB 2720 (Ting, Chapter 510, Statutes of 2014) required a state  
          body to publicly report any action taken and the vote or  
          abstention on that action of each member present for the action.

          SB 95 (Ayala, Chapter 949, Statutes of 1997) made various  
          changes to the Bagley-Keene Act by expanding the notice,  
          disclosure and reporting requirements for open and closed  
          meetings of state bodies. 

          FISCAL EFFECT:                 Appropriation:  No    Fiscal  
          Com.:             No           Local:          No


          SUPPORT:  (Verified 4/28/15)  
           
          None received

          OPPOSITION: (Verified 4/28/15)

          None received


            
          Prepared by:Felipe Lopez / G.O. / (916) 651-1530
          4/29/15 16:07:32


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