Bill Text: NJ ACR32 | 2018-2019 | Regular Session | Introduced
Bill Title: Expresses Legislature's intent in approving proposed amendment to State Constitution to authorize casino gambling in northern part of State.
Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 16-2)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2018-01-09 - Introduced, Referred to Assembly Tourism, Gaming and the Arts Committee [ACR32 Detail]
Download: New_Jersey-2018-ACR32-Introduced.html
ASSEMBLY CONCURRENT RESOLUTION No. 32
STATE OF NEW JERSEY
218th LEGISLATURE
PRE-FILED FOR INTRODUCTION IN THE 2018 SESSION
Sponsored by:
Assemblyman RALPH R. CAPUTO
District 28 (Essex)
Assemblyman JAMEL C. HOLLEY
District 20 (Union)
Co-Sponsored by:
Assemblymen Mukherji, Schaer, Lagana, Assemblywomen Jimenez, Vainieri Huttle, Jasey, Assemblyman Giblin, Assemblywomen Chaparro, Tucker, Assemblymen Johnson, McKeon, Eustace, Assemblywomen Caride, Pintor Marin, Assemblymen DiMaio and Dancer
SYNOPSIS
Expresses Legislature's intent in approving proposed amendment to State Constitution to authorize casino gambling in northern part of State.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel.
A Concurrent Resolution expressing the intent of the Legislature in approving a proposed amendment to the Constitution of the State of New Jersey to authorize casino gambling in the northern part of the State.
Whereas, The Senate and General Assembly approved Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 1 of 2016, proposing to amend the Constitution of the State of New Jersey to authorize casino gambling in the northern part of the State; and
Whereas, The concurrent resolution to approve the establishment of casinos in the northern part of the State will be submitted to the voters for their approval at the November 2016 general election; and
Whereas, While the resolution provides specific purposes for the establishment of casinos in northern New Jersey, including the recovery of Atlantic City, funding for counties and senior citizen programs in this State, and funding for programs designed to aid and encourage the thoroughbred and standardbred industries, there is a need for the Legislature to further communicate to the public its legislative intent; and
Whereas, A more explicit specification of the Legislature's intent will help to educate the public about the specific fiscal and economic development purposes for which the casino constitutional amendment was placed on the ballot for their consideration; and
Whereas, A clearer statement of the Legislature's intent will also establish a basic framework for the Legislature to follow in developing the implementing legislation to establish casinos in northern New Jersey, if approved by the voters; now, therefore,
Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey (the Senate concurring):
1. The Legislature of the State of New Jersey hereby expresses its intent in approving Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 1 of 2016, which proposes to amend the Constitution of the State of New Jersey to authorize casino gambling in the northern part of the State. The Legislature's intent is hereby stated as follows:
a. With regard to the distribution of State funds derived from casino gambling in the northern part of the State, the intent of the Legislature is to provide funding for the recovery of Atlantic City through programs for job placement for displaced workers from previously closed casino properties in Atlantic City; for continued promotional support for Atlantic City as a destination resort; for grants and loans to promote non-gaming development, attractions, and destination programming; for programs designed to aid and encourage the thoroughbred and standardbred industries; and for infrastructure and transportation improvements and airport enhancements. The intent of the Legislature is also to provide funding to counties for public spaces and transportation and infrastructure improvements, with the funding allocations based on population and competitive criteria. The intent of the Legislature is also to provide funding to benefit senior citizens in this State through property tax reductions and vulnerable populations through programs administered by the counties.
b. With regard to the selection of the location for casino gambling in the northern part of the State, the intent of the Legislature is for the location to be served by appropriate infrastructure and that casino gambling should be located to minimize the impacts on residents and neighbors of the new facility.
c. With regard to the selection of the licensed operators of casino gambling in the northern part of the State, the intent of the Legislature to create an application process and ranking system that results in the selection of an operator who provides a business plan that is financially, administratively, and culturally the most advantageous, because it includes permanent job development, primary and secondary economic activity generation, and additional items for innovative complementary uses within the required minimum construction expenditure, and that a panel of qualified New Jersey residents provide input on the selection.
d. With regard to the tax rate to be assessed on revenues derived from casino gambling in the northern part of the State, the intent of the Legislature is to establish a rate considerably higher than the tax rate currently applied to revenues derived from casino gambling in Atlantic City, to be tiered according to the amount of the investment made for each casino development.
e. With regard to the administration of the programs to be funded from State revenues derived from casino gambling in the northern part of the State, the intent of the Legislature is that existing State agencies be identified to administer the programs, existing agencies should be streamlined or consolidated to create efficient professional management structures, require performance standards set forth in law for the receipt of funding, and require recipients of funding to meet performance standards.
2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly or the Secretary of the Senate to Governor Chris Christie, the Chair of the Casino Control Commission, and the Director of the Division of Gaming Enforcement in the Department of Law and Public Safety.
STATEMENT
This concurrent resolution expresses the Legislature's intent in approving Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 1 of 2016, which proposes to amend the State Constitution to authorize casino gambling in the northern part of the State and is to be considered by the voters at the November 2016 election. Explicit statements of legislative intent are provided with regard to the tax rate to be assessed on the revenue from casino gambling in the northern part of the State; the distribution of State funds derived from casino gambling in the northern part of the State; the selection of the location for casino gambling; the selection of the casino operators to be licensed; and the administration of the programs to be funded from State revenues derived from casino gambling in the northern part of the State.
