Saipan casino legislation filled with holes

If signed by the governor, House Bill 19-95 would have exempted the Commonwealth Lottery Commission in matters concerning Best Sunshine, the exclusive licensee.

The proposed legislation would have kept all proceedings, records and commissions documents involving Best Sunshine confidential. No member of the public would have be allowed to access public documents regarding public hearings and proceedings involving the operator, which the Commission describes as not in the best interest of the public.

Senators responded with an updated version of the bill that eliminates the secrecy of Best Sunshine operations and enable the Commission to have access to such documents. It also addressed concerns of regulators to have their own legal counsel. All nine members of the Senate voted to recall and then pass the updated House Bill 19-95, HD1, HS1.

In the new version of the bill, the Senate clarifies what may be deemed as “confidential” that follows provisions akin to the New Jersey Casino Control Act. It also subjects a “Commonwealth Casino Regulatory Fee Fund” to annual appropriation from 2017, as well as directs “the casino regulatory fee of $3,000,000 for fiscal year 2015” to the Commission.

But the Commission argues that the proposed changes would make it become a “prime candidate for corruption” and they were aware of the original provisions. “Casino security, surveillance, cage, cashier and other related sensitive information are confidential and should not be subject to public disclosure,” the Commission recommended.

The House convenes on Friday where it will discuss the substitute bill. Senate President Victor Hocog said the bill is a “very sensitive” piece of legislation, adding that the contracts of some Commission employees are about to expire and it is heavily relying on the passage of the bill so that it can continue functioning effectively as a regulatory body.