THE House Gaming Committee on Tuesday decided not to act on Sen. Victor B. Hocog’s measure that proposes to remove the Commonwealth Casino Commission’s regulatory power over Imperial Pacific International’s hotel and other non-gaming operations.
Passed by the Senate, 7 to 2 last month, Senate Bill 22-09 will also “clarify that the Commonwealth Casino Commission shall regulate the gaming facilities and activities of the exclusive casino licensee, not the hotel facilities and other non-gaming activities of the exclusive casino licensee.”
According to the bill, the commission shall “not regulate the areas of a resort complex or other facility exclusively devoted to other activities, such as hotel, a golf course, etc., in which no game is conducted or played and no wagering occurs.”
During its meeting on Tuesday in the House chamber, the House Gaming Committee chaired by Rep. Edwin Propst discussed the measure.
He and the committee members found it necessary to get comments from the Attorney General’s Office, the casino commission and other responsible government agencies.
The bill was then “tabled” until the comments are obtained by the committee.
Rep. Ivan Blanco, a member of the committee, said: “I’m not sure why we even have to entertain this when the findings itself indicates that the casino commission should have power over both IPI’s hotel and casino.”
“Perhaps we can table this measure until we get comments from [the] AG,” he added.
Rep. Richard Lizama said it appears to him that S.B. 22-9 “is like asking us to help IPI escape from its obligation.”
Rep. Vicente Camacho noted that the exclusive casino license itself requires IPI to build 2,000 rooms.
For her part, Rep. Celina Babauta questioned the motive behind S.B. 22-9, which she believes could be an attempt to help IPI sell the hotel.
The other members of the committee who attended the meeting were Reps. Tina Sablan and Patrick San Nicolas.
The House Committee in Gaming discusses Senate Bill 22-9 on Tuesday in the House chamber.
Photo by Emmanuel T. Erediano
