1 South Carolina General Assembly 2 121st Session, 2015-2016 3 4 H. 3127 5 6 STATUS INFORMATION 7 8 Joint Resolution 9 Sponsors: Reps. Rutherford and McKnight 10 Document Path: l:\council\bills\bh\26156dg15.docx 11 12 Introduced in the House on January 13, 2015 13 Currently residing in the House Committee on Judiciary 14 15 Summary: Gambling and gaming 16 17 18 HISTORY OF LEGISLATIVE ACTIONS 19 20 Date Body Action Description with journal page number 21 12/11/2014 House Prefiled 22 12/11/2014 House Referred to Committee on Judiciary 23 1/13/2015 House Introduced and read first time ( House Journalpage 106) 24 1/13/2015 House Referred to Committee on Judiciary ( House Journalpage 106) 25 26 View the latest legislative information at the website 27 28 29 VERSIONS OF THIS BILL 30 31 12/11/2014 32 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 A JOINT RESOLUTION 10 11 PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE XVII OF THE 12 CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING 13 TO MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS, BY ADDING SECTION 16 14 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY BY 15 LAW, IN SPECIFIED AREAS OF THE STATE, MAY 16 PROVIDE FOR THE CONDUCT OF GAMBLING AND 17 GAMING ACTIVITIES ON WHICH BETS ARE MADE TO 18 INCLUDE PARIMUTUEL BETTING ON HORSE RACING, 19 SPORTS BETTING ON PROFESSIONAL SPORTS, CASINO 20 ACTIVITIES, SUCH AS CARD AND DICE GAMES WHERE 21 THE SKILL OF THE PLAYER IS INVOLVED IN THE 22 OUTCOME, AND GAMES OF CHANCE WITH THE USE OF 23 ELECTRONIC DEVICES OR GAMING TABLES, ALL OF 24 WHICH STRICTLY MUST BE REGULATED AND MAY BE 25 CONDUCTED IN ONE LOCATION OR IN SEPARATE 26 LOCATIONS WITHIN THE SPECIFIED AREA SUBJECT TO 27 SPECIAL LAWS, INCLUDING CRIMINAL LAWS, ENACTED 28 BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY, APPLICABLE ONLY IN 29 THE SPECIFIED AREA, WITH THE REVENUE REALIZED 30 BY THE STATE AND LOCAL JURISDICTIONS TO BE USED 31 FOR HIGHWAY, ROAD, AND BRIDGE MAINTENANCE, 32 CONSTRUCTION, AND REPAIR; AND BY PROPOSING AN 33 AMENDMENT TO SECTION 8, ARTICLE XVII OF THE 34 CONSTITUTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1895, RELATING 35 TO MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS, BY DELETING SECTION 36 8 WHICH MAKES IT UNLAWFUL FOR A PERSON 37 HOLDING AN OFFICE OF HONOR, TRUST OR PROFIT TO 38 ENGAGE IN GAMBLING OR BETTING ON GAMES OF 39 CHANCE, AND REQUIRES THE OFFICER’S REMOVAL 40 FROM OFFICE UPON CONVICTION FOR A GAMBLING 41 OFFENSE. 42

[3127] 2 1 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South 2 Carolina: 3 4 SECTION 1. It is proposed that Article XVII of the Constitution 5 of this State be amended by adding: 6 7 “Section 16. The General Assembly by law may provide in 8 specified areas of the State for the conduct of gambling and 9 gaming activities on which bets are made to include parimutuel 10 betting on horse racing, sports betting on professional sports, 11 casino activities, such as card and dice games where the skill of the 12 player is involved in the outcome, and games of chance with the 13 use of electronic devices or gaming tables, all of which strictly 14 must be regulated and may be conducted in one location or in 15 separate locations within the specified area, with the revenue 16 realized by the State and local jurisdictions to be used for highway, 17 road, and bridge maintenance, construction, and repair. 18 Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 14, Article VIII or 19 any other provision of this Constitution, the General Assembly, in 20 establishing the specific locations provided, may alter the 21 application of the criminal laws of this State or any of its political 22 subdivisions and the penalties and sanctions for violations in these 23 locations and may enact special legislation, including criminal 24 laws, relating to or arising from gambling and gaming activities 25 and applicable only in these locations.” 26 27 SECTION 2. The proposed amendment must be submitted to the 28 qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. 29 Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the 30 following words printed or written on the ballot: 31 32 “Must Article XVII of the Constitution of this State be amended 33 so as to provide that the General Assembly by law, in specified 34 areas of the State, may provide for the conduct of gambling and 35 gaming activities on which bets are made to include parimutuel 36 betting on horse racing, sports betting on professional sports, 37 casino activities, such as card and dice games where the skill of the 38 player is involved in the outcome, and games of chance with the 39 use of electronic devices or gaming tables, all of which strictly 40 must be regulated and may be conducted in one location or in 41 separate locations within the specified area, with the revenue 42 realized by the State and local jurisdictions to be used for highway, 43 road, and bridge maintenance, construction, and repair, and to

[3127] 3 1 allow the General Assembly to enact special laws, including 2 criminal laws, applicable only in the specified area in which 3 gambling is allowed pursuant to this new section? 4 5 Yes  6 7 No  8 9 Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a 10 check or cross mark in the square after the word ‘Yes’, and those 11 voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or 12 cross mark in the square after the word ‘No’.” 13 14 SECTION 3. It is proposed that Section 8, Article XVII of the 15 Constitution of this State be amended to read: 16 17 “Section 8. It shall be unlawful for any person holding an office 18 of honor, trust or profit to engage in gambling or betting on games 19 of chance; and any such officer, upon conviction thereof, shall 20 become thereby disqualified from the further exercise of the 21 functions of his office, and the office of said person shall become 22 vacant, as in the case of resignation or death. (Reserved.)” 23 24 SECTION 4. The proposed amendment must be submitted to the 25 qualified electors at the next general election for representatives. 26 Ballots must be provided at the various voting precincts with the 27 following words printed or written on the ballot: 28 29 “Must Section 8, Article XVII of the Constitution of this State 30 be amended so as to delete the provision that makes it unlawful for 31 a person holding an office of honor, trust or profit to engage in 32 gambling or betting on games of chance, and requires the officer’s 33 removal from office upon conviction for a gambling offense? 34 35 Yes  36 37 No  38 39 Those voting in favor of the question shall deposit a ballot with a 40 check or cross mark in the square after the word ‘Yes’, and those 41 voting against the question shall deposit a ballot with a check or 42 cross mark in the square after the word ‘No’.” 43 XX

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