Bills to set Atlantic City casino reopening standards advanced by Senate panel

A New Jersey Senate panel on Tuesday advanced a pair of bills that would have the state Health Department set standards for Atlantic City's nine casinos to meet before they can reopen. They also would apply to hotels across the state.

The Democratic-sponsored bills would have the department set standards on disinfection of rooms, elevators, surfaces, kitchens, gambling floors and other high-traffic areas, as well as training of workers on safe practices, The Press of Atlantic City reports. They would also require the continuation of social distancing standards, including a prohibition of gatherings of more than 10 people.

The Casino Association of New Jersey has already contracted with the AtlantiCare hospital system to do the same thing for the casinos, including developing recommendations on best operating and cleaning practices. No date has yet been given for reopening the casinos, which Gov. Phil Murphy ordered closed on March 16.

“Getting New Jersey on the road back begins by reaching benchmarks and data milestones,” Murphy said on Tuesday. “Most notably, within our healthcare sector, where the numbers are concrete and we can see in the numbers of real people the impacts our policies are having.”