2022 -- H 7790

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LC005234

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2022

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT - STATE LOTTERY - LOTTERY

SALES AGENT RENEWAL PERIOD

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Slater, and Diaz

     Date Introduced: March 03, 2022

     Referred To: House Finance

     (Dept. of Revenue)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 42-61-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 42-61 entitled "State Lottery"

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is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     42-61-5. Sales agents.

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     (a) For the purpose of this chapter, the term "person" shall be construed to mean and include

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an individual, association, partnership, corporation, trust, estate, company, receiver, trustee,

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referee, or other person acting in a fiduciary or representative capacity, whether appointed by a

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court or otherwise, and any combination of individuals. "Person" shall be construed to mean all

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departments, committees, commissions, agencies, and instrumentalities of the state, including

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counties and municipalities and agencies and instrumentalities of the state.

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     (b)(1) The director of lotteries may license any person as a lottery sales agent as provided

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in this chapter. No license shall be issued to any person to engage in the sale of lottery tickets as

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his or her sole occupation or business.

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     (2) As part of its investigation as to whether to issue a lottery sales agent license, the Rhode

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Island lottery shall require criminal background checks of the applicant for a retail sales agent

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license as it deems appropriate and said individuals shall apply to the bureau of criminal

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investigation of the Rhode Island state police or the Rhode Island department of the attorney general

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for a national criminal records check with fingerprinting. The applicant whose criminal records

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check is being conducted shall be responsible for the payment of the costs of said criminal records

 

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check. The Rhode Island state police or the Rhode Island department of attorney general, as

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applicable, shall send the results of such criminal records check to the Rhode Island lottery. Once

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said results are sent to and received by the Rhode Island lottery, the Rhode Island state police and

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the Rhode Island department of attorney general shall promptly destroy said fingerprint record(s).

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On or before February 1, 2011, the agency shall adopt rules and regulations establishing criteria to

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be used in determining whether based upon a criminal records check an application will be

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approved.

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     (c) Before issuing any license to a lottery sales agent the director shall consider:

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     (1) The financial responsibility and security of the person and his or her business or

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activity;

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     (2) The accessibility of his or her place of business or activity to the public;

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     (3) The sufficiency of existing licensed agents to serve the public interest;

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     (4) The volume of expected sales by the applicant;

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     (5) Any other factors pertaining to the public interest, convenience or trust.

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     (d) The director shall refuse to grant or shall suspend, pending a hearing before the division,

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or recommend a revocation of a license if the applicant or licensee:

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     (1) Has been convicted of a felony;

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     (2) Has been engaging in gambling as a significant source of income;

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     (3) Has been convicted of violating any gambling statutes;

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     (4) Has been convicted of fraud or misrepresentation in any connection;

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     (5) Has been found to have violated any rule, regulation, or order of the state lottery

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division.

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     The license of an agent shall be suspended by the director for any charge which may result

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in a conviction for conduct prescribed in subdivisions (d)(1) -- (d)(5); which suspension shall be

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effective until a final judicial determination.

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     (e) The director shall refuse to grant, or shall suspend, pending a hearing before the

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division, or recommend revocation of a license if the applicant or licensee is a corporation:

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     (1) Any of whose directors, officers, or controlling shareholders have been found guilty of

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any of the activities specified in subsection (d);

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     (2) In which it appears to the director of lotteries that due to the experience, character, or

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general fitness of any director, officer, or controlling shareholder, the granting of a license as a

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lottery sales agent would be inconsistent with the public interest, convenience, or trust;

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     (3) Not the owner or lessee of the business at which it will conduct a lottery sales agency

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pursuant to the license applied for, or that any person, firm, association, or corporation other than

 

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the applicant shares or will share in the profits of the applicant, other than receiving dividends as a

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shareholder, or will participate in the management of the affairs of the applicant.

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     (f) Every holder of a license as a lottery sales agent shall renew the license annually

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biennially pursuant to the rules and regulations of the division. Licensees shall pay to the division

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a fee to be determined by the director upon receipt or renewal of a license.

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     (g) Whenever requested by the director, the division of criminal identification of the

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department of the attorney general, the superintendent of state police, any superintendent or chief

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of police or sergeant of any city or town, shall furnish all information on convictions, arrests and

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present investigations concerning any person who is an applicant for a license or who is a licensee

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of the state lottery.

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     (h) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, any person licensed as provided in this

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chapter is authorized and empowered to act as a lottery sales agent.

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     (i) Every licensed sales agent authorized pursuant to this section and every licensed video

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lottery retailer authorized by chapter 61.2 of this title shall keep conspicuously posted on his or her

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premises the name and telephone number of a council on problem gambling recognized by an

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appropriate authority within state government or within the professional field of addiction disorders

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and a statement of its availability to offer assistance. The lottery division shall supply each licensee

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with the required notice.

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     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT - STATE LOTTERY - LOTTERY

SALES AGENT RENEWAL PERIOD

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     This act would extend the renewal period for lottery sales agent's license from one year to

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two (2) years.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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