Florida Senate - 2015 SB 116 By Senator Margolis 35-00105-15 2015116__ 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to gaming; providing a short title; 3 prohibiting applicants for and permitholders of pari 4 mutuel permits from contributing to certain campaign 5 accounts and political committees; defining the term 6 “department officials”; prohibiting specified 7 political activity or employment by department 8 officials; providing an effective date. 9 10 WHEREAS, public confidence in the conduct of the gaming 11 industry is an important factor in ensuring the success of the 12 industry in this state, and 13 WHEREAS, the enactment of increased controls restricting 14 the ability of the gaming industry to directly influence the 15 political process increases the public confidence in the conduct 16 of the gaming industry, and 17 WHEREAS, transparency and accountability in the regulation 18 of the gaming industry is of paramount importance in this 19 regard, and 20 WHEREAS, it is imperative that regulators of the gaming 21 industry be held to the highest standards of conduct, NOW, 22 THEREFORE, 23 24 Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida: 25 26 Section 1. This act may be cited as the “Public Confidence 27 in Gaming Act.” 28 Section 2. Political activity and employment restrictions; 29 pari-mutuel applicants and permitholders and specified 30 department officials.— 31 (1) A person or entity who applies to the Division of Pari 32 mutuel Wagering within the Department of Business and 33 Professional Regulation for a permit to conduct pari-mutuel 34 operations or who holds a permit to conduct such operations 35 pursuant to chapter 550, Florida Statutes, may not make a 36 contribution to the campaign account of an officeholder of, or a 37 candidate for, the office of Governor, Attorney General, Chief 38 Financial Officer, Commissioner of Agriculture, state senator, 39 or state representative. In addition, such person or entity may 40 not make a contribution to a political committee of which such 41 officeholder or candidate is a member. 42 (2)(a) As used in this subsection, the term “department 43 officials” refers to the following positions within the 44 Department of Business and Professional Regulation: 45 1. The Secretary of Business and Professional Regulation. 46 2. The chief of staff. 47 3. The general counsel. 48 4. The division director, deputy director, chief of 49 auditing, chief of operations, chief of investigations, chief of 50 slot operations, revenue program administrator, licensing 51 administrator, administrator of the state compliance agency, and 52 regional program administrators of the Division of Pari-mutuel 53 Wagering. 54 (b) Department officials are prohibited from: 55 1. Holding, or being a candidate for, public office or 56 taking an active part in a political campaign while employed by 57 the department. 58 2. Holding other employment, including receiving 59 compensation or other remuneration for speaking at or attending 60 an event associated with the gaming or pari-mutuel industry. 61 3. Accepting employment from or entering into a contractual 62 relationship with an entity of the gaming or pari-mutuel 63 industry for 4 years after termination of his or her employment 64 with the department. 65 Section 3. This act shall take effect July 1, 2015.