| 1 | House Joint Resolution |
| 2 | A joint resolution proposing the creation of Section 28 of |
| 3 | Article X of the State Constitution authorizing gaming in |
| 4 | counties that approve gaming by a countywide referendum; |
| 5 | providing requirements for gaming facilities; providing |
| 6 | for regulation and taxation by general law; providing for |
| 7 | use of revenues. |
| 8 |
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| 9 | Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Florida: |
| 10 |
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| 11 | That the following creation of Section 28 of Article X of |
| 12 | the State Constitution is agreed to and shall be submitted to |
| 13 | the electors of this state for approval or rejection at the next |
| 14 | general election or at an earlier special election specifically |
| 15 | authorized by law for that purpose: |
| 16 | ARTICLE X |
| 17 | MISCELLANEOUS |
| 18 | SECTION 28. Local option gaming.-- |
| 19 | (a) The governing body of any county may hold a countywide |
| 20 | referendum on whether to authorize full gaming within that |
| 21 | county. If the voters of a county approve the referendum |
| 22 | question by majority vote, full gaming is authorized and may be |
| 23 | conducted within that county. If the voters of such county do |
| 24 | not approve the referendum question by majority vote, full |
| 25 | gaming under this section is not authorized, and the question |
| 26 | shall not be presented in another referendum in that county for |
| 27 | at least two years. As used in this subsection, the term "full |
| 28 | gaming" means all forms of gaming and includes electronic or |
| 29 | electromechanical facsimiles of any game of chance or slot |
| 30 | machine of any kind and any banking card games such as baccarat, |
| 31 | chenin de fer, and blackjack. |
| 32 | (b) Gaming activities authorized pursuant to this section |
| 33 | shall be conducted in facilities within the infrastructure of a |
| 34 | hotel or casino that has at least 250 rooms for overnight |
| 35 | patrons. |
| 36 | (c) The legislature shall provide for the regulation and |
| 37 | taxation of gaming facilities and activities by general law and |
| 38 | may impose fees to pay the costs of such regulation. |
| 39 | (d) Fifty percent of the tax revenue from gaming |
| 40 | facilities and activities authorized pursuant to this section |
| 41 | shall be deposited into a public sector trust fund. Ninety |
| 42 | percent of the moneys in that trust fund must be used to offset |
| 43 | residential homestead property taxes, eight percent must be used |
| 44 | for the creation of affordable housing, and the remaining two |
| 45 | percent must be used for the prevention and treatment of |
| 46 | compulsive gambling and related disorders. |
| 47 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the following statement be |
| 48 | placed on the ballot: |
| 49 | CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT |
| 50 | ARTICLE X, SECTION 28 |
| 51 | LOCAL OPTION GAMING.--Proposing an amendment to the State |
| 52 | Constitution to allow the governing body of any county to hold a |
| 53 | countywide referendum on whether to authorize full gaming within |
| 54 | that county. The amendment requires gaming facilities to be |
| 55 | located within a hotel or casino that has at least 250 rooms for |
| 56 | overnight patrons, provides for regulation and taxation of |
| 57 | gaming by general law, and requires that 50 percent of the tax |
| 58 | revenue be deposited into a public sector trust fund, with 90 |
| 59 | percent of the moneys in that trust fund to be used to offset |
| 60 | residential homestead property taxes, 8 percent to be used for |
| 61 | the creation of affordable housing, and the remaining 2 percent |
| 62 | to be used for the prevention and treatment of compulsive |
| 63 | gambling and related disorders. |