SENATE DOCKET, NO. 281        FILED ON: 1/15/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 167

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_________________

PRESENTED BY:

William N. Brownsberger, (BY REQUEST)

_________________

To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to the repeal of expanded gaming legislation: H.3807- Acts of 2011 c. 194, in its entirety.

_______________

PETITION OF:

SENATE DOCKET, NO. 281        FILED ON: 1/15/2013

SENATE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 167

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

_______________

In the Year Two Thousand Thirteen

_______________

An Act relative to the repeal of expanded gaming legislation: H.3807- Acts of 2011 c. 194, in its entirety.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

1.WHEREAS, the General Court of 1785 in c.58 Statutes publicly asserted “the practice of gambling for money or other property is not only injurious in a high degree to the individual concerned therein, but also in its tendency ruinous and destructive to the State.” And for 226 years such a wise and prudent finding has never been affirmatively disproved or disputed;

2.WHEREAS, the General Court passed and the Governor signed into law on November 22, 2011 the above-referenced H-3807 Expanded Gaming Act;

3.WHEREAS, the Senate President, Speaker of the House and Governor together with the Members of the General Court are under solemn Oath of Office to abide “faithfully and agreeably to the rules and regulations of the Massachusetts Constitution, So Help Me God;”

4.WHEREAS, the citizens of this Commonwealth have a median yearly household income of $66,000± and are weighted-down with daily pressures of providing for their housing, education, medical care and retirement and are over-burdened with federal and state taxes; federal and state operating deficits; and federal and state aggregate debt sums;

5.WHEREAS, Expanded Gaming in the form of Casino Gambling and Slot Machine Parlors will do permanent harm  to the financial stability and moral character of the Commonwealth’s citizens, most especially to its young adult and student citizens;

6.WHEREAS, placing Casino Establishments in (3) separate regions will work maximum financial and calculated damage to citizens around the State;

7.WHEREAS, the introduction of Expanded Gaming will not be “for the good and welfare of the Commonwealth” according to the Massachusetts Constitution Legislative Power Clause; and will violate Chapter V § II of the Constitution’s perpetual “duty of the Legislatures” on Education and citizenship standards;

NOW, THEREFORE, being that Expanded Gaming licenses have not yet been granted in this Commonwealth; that national and state long-term economic conditions are not in any wise conducive to promoting and encouraging the wantonness of gambling to its citizens; and being that there are more appropriate means to develop economic activity:

BE IT ENACTED by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, finding the best interests of the Commonwealth greatly served, does hereby REPEAL H.3807 Acts of 2011 c. 194, Expanded Gaming Laws. FURTHUR, this General Court shall provide for an orderly dissolution of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission and all contracts, obligations, and activities thereof.