| | | Emergency preamble. Whereas, acts of the Legislature do not become | | effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as | | emergencies; and |
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| | | Whereas, many nonprofit organizations hold carnivals and fairs | | at which games of chance are operated as a means to raise money | | for the nonprofit organization; and |
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| | | Whereas, current law restricts to 2 days the length of time that | | a nonprofit organization may operate a game of chance, which | | places an undue burden on those organizations that operate their | | fund-raising activities for more than 2 days; and |
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| | | Whereas, most nonprofit organizations hold their fund-raising | | activities in the summer months, before the usual effective date | | for nonemergency legislation; and |
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| | | Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create | | an emergency within the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and | | require the following legislation as immediately necessary for | | the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, | | therefore, |
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| | | Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: |
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| | | Sec. 1. 17 MRSA §332, sub-§4, ¶B, as amended by PL 1999, c. 295, §1, | | is further amended to read: |
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| | | B. No other licensee may operate a game of chance on | | premises to which the general public has access. In any | | room where a licensed game of chance is being conducted, | | there must be at least one member of the licensee present in | | that room for every 2 nonmembers who are present. That | | member must have been a member of the licensee for at least | | one year. A member of the licensee, either directly or | | through another member or guest, may not stake or risk | | something of value in the licensee's game of chance unless | | the member has been a member, as defined in section 330, | | subsection 3-B, of the licensee for at least 14 days not | | including the day of admission into membership. |
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| | | A bona fide nonprofit organization may operate a licensed | game of chance to which the general public has access, | every 3 months for a period not to exceed 2 | | days. The licensed game of chance may be operated at any | | location described in the license and may be conducted only | | by members of the licensee. |
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| | | Emergency clause. In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, | | this Act takes effect when approved. |
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