GAC gets shuffled, could meet in July
Pub Date: 6/1/2007
The Gaming Advisory Council, which considers and advocates policy regarding gambling in Montana, is about to undergo a biannual shuffle.
The Attorney General appoints members to represent citizen interests, local governments, gaming businesses and the Indian tribes. The state Senate Committee on Committees appoints a member to represent the Senate and the House Speaker appoints a member to represent that body.
Apparently Sen. Joe Tropila, (D) Great Falls, will remain on the nine-member council until April of 2008 when he will be replaced by Senator Lane Larson, (D) Billings. Rep. Mark Blasdel, (R) Somers, has replaced Rep. John Witt, (R) Carter, who was termed out at the beginning of the last session.
Steve Morris of Helena, John Tooke of Miles City and Tim Carson of Billings, represent the gaming business, Pam Kennedy, Mayor of Kalispell, and Nick Murnion, Garfield County Attorney from Jordan, represent local government.
The citizen representative is Bill Thomas of Great Falls, but he was elected to the House of Representatives as a Democrat last fall, so his status is uncertain. Neither is it known who will be the tribal representative.
A meeting of the Council had been called for May 17 but was cancelled since council composition remains uncertain and because the Legislature had been called into a special session.
"I will attempt to find a date in mid-July when we can get together," said Gene Huntington, administrator of the Gambling Control Division. "The first meeting is the organizational meeting when we elect a chairman and set the agenda for the biennium, so I think we need to try to get as good a turnout as possible.
"We had planned to discuss the proposed rules for card games and antique gambling devices at this meeting as well," Huntington said. The new rules have been sent in advance to GAC members, he added.
Also on the GAC agenda was to hear reports from the Gambling Control Division, Liquor Division and Board of Horse racing. Other topics for discussion were to include intrastate/interstate internet gambling, and a review of raffles, problem gambling and implementation of the automated accounting and reporting system for the state's gaming machines.
Source: The Montana Tavern Times, June 2007, published monthly by Continental Communications, 125 W. Granite St., Suite 102, Butte, MT 59701.