SLS 20RS-597 ENGROSSED
2020 Regular Session
SENATE BILL NO. 378
BY SENATOR JOHNS
GAMING. Provides for a proposition election to determine whether sports wagering
activities and operations will be permitted in a parish. (6/10/20)
1 AN ACT
2 To enact R.S. 18:1300.24 and R.S. 27:15.1, relative to sports wagering; to provide for a
3 proposition election to authorize sport wagering in a parish; to provide for the
4 Louisiana Gaming Control Board powers and duties; to provide for effective dates;
5 and to provide for related matters.
6 Be it enacted by the Legislature of Louisiana:
7 Section 1. R.S. 18:1300.24 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
8 §1300.24. Election on sports wagering
9 A.(1) At the statewide election occurring on November 3, 2020, a
10 proposition shall appear on the ballot in every parish to determine whether
11 sports wagering activities and operations shall be permitted in the parish.
12 (2) The ballot for the election shall state as follows:
13 "PROPOSITION TO AUTHORIZE SPORTS WAGERING
14 ACTIVITIES.
15 Shall sports wagering activities and operations be permitted in the parish
16 of _________________?
17 YES ( ) NO ( )"
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 378
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1 B. The voters shall vote for or against the proposition. A vote for the
2 proposition being a "YES" vote, and a vote against the proposition being a
3 "NO" vote.
4 C.(1) If a majority of the qualified electors in the parish voting on the
5 proposition vote for the proposition, then sports wagering activities and
6 operations shall be permitted in such parish only after state laws providing for
7 the licensing, regulation, and taxation of such activity and operations are
8 enacted and become effective.
9 (2) If a majority of the qualified electors in the parish voting on the
10 proposition vote against the proposition, then sports wagering activities and
11 operations shall not be permitted in the parish.
12 D. The secretary of state shall prepare the ballot for the election as set
13 forth in the provisions of this Section.
14 E. Except as otherwise provided by this Section, the election shall be
15 conducted in accordance with the Louisiana Election Code.
16 Section 2. R.S. 27:15.1 is hereby enacted to read as follows:
17 §15.1. Sports Wagering
18 A. In the event of the legalization of sports wagering in any parish as a
19 result of the proposition election held on November 3, 2020, the Louisiana
20 Gaming Control Board shall have all regulatory authority, control, and
21 jurisdiction, including investigation, licensing, and enforcement, and all power
22 incidental or necessary to such regulatory authority, control, and jurisdiction
23 over all aspects of sports wagering activities and operations, except as otherwise
24 specified in this Title.
25 B. For purposes of this Section, "sports wagering" shall be defined as
26 the business of accepting wagers on any sports event or sports contest by any
27 system or method of wagering.
28 Section 3. R.S. 18:1300.24 shall be considered a special law for purposes of
29 Louisiana Constitution Article XII, Section 6(C)(4).
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 378
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1 Section 4. Section 2 of this Act shall become effective January 1, 2021, if in the
2 statewide election to be held on November 3, 2020, a majority of the qualified electors in
3 at least one parish in the state vote to approve the proposition to permit sports wagering in
4 such parish. However, sports wagering shall not be authorized by the Louisiana Gaming
5 Control Board in such parish until state laws providing for the licensing, regulation, and
6 taxation of sports wagering activities and operations are enacted and become effective.
7 Section 5. Sections 1, 3, 4 and this Section shall become effective June 10, 2020.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Dawn Romero Watson.
DIGEST
SB 378 Engrossed 2020 Regular Session Johns
Present constitution provides for gambling to be defined by and suppressed by the
legislature.
Present constitution provides that no law authorizing a new form of gaming, gambling, or
wagering will be effective nor will such gaming, gambling, or wagering be licensed or
permitted to be conducted in a parish unless a referendum election on a proposition to allow
such gaming, gambling, or wagering is held in the parish and the proposition is approved by
a majority of those voting thereon.
Present constitution provides that notwithstanding the present constitutional provisions
regarding prohibited local and special laws, or any other provision of the constitution, the
legislature by local or special law may provide for elections on propositions relating to
allowing or prohibiting one or more forms of gaming, gambling, or wagering authorized by
law.
Proposed law provides for a proposition election to determine whether sports wagering
activities and operations will be permitted in a particular parish. Provides that the
proposition will be on the ballot at the statewide election occurring on November 3, 2020.
Proposed law provides that if a majority of the qualified electors in the parish voting on the
proposition vote "for" the proposition, then sports wagering activities and operations will be
permitted in such parish only after state laws providing for the licensing, regulation, and
taxation of such activities and operations are enacted and become effective.
Proposed law provides that if a majority of the qualified electors in the parish voting on the
proposition vote "against" the proposition, then sports wagering activities and operations will
not be permitted in the parish.
Proposed law provides that in the event of the legalization of sports wagering, the Louisiana
Gaming Control Board shall have all regulatory authority, control and jurisdiction, including
investigation, licensing, and enforcement and all power incidental or necessary to such
regulatory authority, control, and jurisdiction over all aspects of sports wagering activities
and operations. Defines "sports wagering" as the business of accepting wagers on any sports
event or sports contest by any system or method of wagering.
Designates proposed law to be a special law for purposes of constitutional requirement
regarding proposition elections on gambling, gaming, or wagering.
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words in boldface type and underscored are additions. SB NO. 378
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Effective June 10, 2020.
(Adds R.S. 18:1300.24 and R.S. 27:15.1)
Summary of Amendments Adopted by Senate
Committee Amendments Proposed by Senate Committee on Judiciary B to the
original bill
1. Removes provisions relative to authorizing certain casinos to operate sports
pool wagering and specific regulations for sports wagering activities and
operations by the Louisiana Gaming Control Board.
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Coding: Words which are struck through are deletions from existing law;
words in boldface type and underscored are additions.