HB 1655

                                                PRINTER'S NO.   2009
                THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
                    HOUSE BILL
                    No. 1655
                                          Session of
                                            2025
INTRODUCED BY HARKINS, CONKLIN, GIRAL AND HILL-EVANS,
   JUNE 24, 2025
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON GAMING OVERSIGHT, JUNE 24, 2025
                               AN ACT
1 Amending Title 4 (Amusements) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
2    Statutes, in fantasy contests, further providing for
3    definitions and for general and specific powers of board; in
4    general provisions relating to gaming, further providing for
5    definitions; in fingerprinting, further providing for
6    submission of fingerprints and photographs; in general
7    provisions relating to video gaming, further providing for
8    definitions; and, in administration, further providing for
9    powers of board.
10    The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
11 hereby enacts as follows:
12    Section 1.    The definition of "applicant" in section 302 of
13 Title 4 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended to
14 read:
15 § 302.   Definitions.
16    The following words and phrases when used in this chapter
17 shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
18 context clearly indicates otherwise:
19    "Applicant."    A person who, on his own behalf or on behalf of
20 another, is applying for [permission to engage in any act or
21 activity which is regulated under the provisions of]
1 registration or a permit, certification, license, qualification,
2 renewal or other credential issued by the board under this
3 chapter. If the applicant is a person other than an individual,
4 the board shall determine the associated persons whose
5 qualifications are necessary as a precondition to the licensing
6 of the applicant.
7    * * *
8    Section 2.    Section 311(b)(7.1) and (7.2) of Title 4 are
9 amended to read:
10 § 311.   General and specific powers of board.
11    * * *
12    (b)   Specific powers.--The board shall have the following
13 specific powers:
14* * *
15(7.1)   [To require prospective and existing employees,
16    independent contractors, applicants and licensees to submit
17    to fingerprinting by the Pennsylvania State Police or an
18    authorized agent of the Pennsylvania State Police. The
19    Pennsylvania State Police or authorized agent of the
20    Pennsylvania State Police shall submit the fingerprints to
21    the Federal Bureau of Investigation for purposes or verifying
22    the identity of the individual and obtaining records of
23    criminal arrests and convictions.] In order to ensure the
24    integrity of gaming-related activities in this Commonwealth,
25    to require criminal history record checks for an individual
26    who is a prospective employee, existing employee, independent
27    contractor, applicant or licensee and seeks registration or a
28    permit, certification, license, qualification, renewal or
29    other credential issued by the board under this chapter. The
30    following shall apply:
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1(i)    The individual must submit a full set of
2fingerprints to the Pennsylvania State Police.
3(ii)    The Pennsylvania State Police shall check the
4fingerprints of the individual against records in the
5Pennsylvania State Police central repository for the
6purpose of obtaining a current record of any criminal
7arrests and convictions.
8(iii)    The Pennsylvania State Police shall submit the
9fingerprints of the individual to the Federal Bureau of
10Investigation for the purpose of verifying the identity
11of the individual and obtaining a current record of any
12criminal arrests and convictions.
13(iv)    The Pennsylvania State Police shall forward the
14results of the criminal history record check to the board
15for the sole purpose of determining the individual's
16eligibility for the registration, permit, certification,
17license, renewal or other qualification. The board may
18not disseminate the criminal history record check
19information to any other entity.
20(7.2)   To require prospective and existing employees of
21    the board, independent contractors of the board, applicants
22    and licensees to submit photographs consistent with the
23    standards established by the board.
24* * *
25    Section 3.       The definition of "applicant" in section 1103 of
26 Title 4 is amended to read:
27 § 1103.    Definitions.
28    The following words and phrases when used in this part shall
29 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
30 context clearly indicates otherwise:
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1    * * *
2    "Applicant."    [Any] A person who, on his own behalf or on
3 behalf of another, is applying for [permission to engage in any
4 act or activity which is regulated under the provisions of]
5 registration or a permit, certification, license, qualification,
6 renewal or other credential issued by the board under this part.
7 In cases in which the applicant is a person other than an
8 individual, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board shall
9 determine the associated persons whose qualifications are
10 necessary as a precondition to the licensing of the applicant.
11    * * *
12    Section 4.    Section 1802 of Title 4 is amended to read:
13 § 1802.    Submission of fingerprints and photographs.
14    [Appointees, employees and prospective employees engaged in
15 the service of the commissions or the board and applicants under
16 this part shall submit to fingerprinting and photographing by
17 the Pennsylvania State Police or by a local law enforcement
18 agency capable of submitting fingerprints and photographs
19 electronically to the Pennsylvania State Police utilizing the
20 Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System and the
21 Commonwealth Photo Imaging Network or in a manner and in such
22 form as may be provided by the Pennsylvania State Police.
23 Fingerprinting pursuant to this part shall require, at a
24 minimum, the submission of a full set of fingerprints.
25 Photographing pursuant to this part shall require submission to
26 photographs of the face and any scars, marks or tattoos for
27 purposes of comparison utilizing an automated biometric imaging
28 system. The Pennsylvania State Police shall submit fingerprints
29 when requested by the commissions or the board to the Federal
30 Bureau of Investigation for purposes of verifying the identity
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1 of the applicants and obtaining records of criminal arrests and
2 convictions in order to prepare criminal history background
3 investigations under section 1801 (relating to duty to provide).
4 Fingerprints and photographs obtained pursuant to this part may
5 be maintained by the commissions, the board and the Pennsylvania
6 State Police for use pursuant to this part and for general law
7 enforcement purposes. In addition to any other fee or cost
8 assessed by the commissions or the board, an applicant shall pay
9 for the cost of fingerprinting and photographing.] (a)
10 Background check.--
11(1)   In order to ensure the integrity of gaming-related
12    activities in this Commonwealth, the board shall require
13    criminal history record checks for an individual who is an
14    appointee to the board, appointee to the commission,
15    prospective employee, existing employee, independent
16    contractor, applicant or licensee who seeks registration or a
17    permit, certification, license, qualification, renewal or
18    other credential issued by the board under this part.
19(2)   The individual shall submit a full set of
20    fingerprints to the Pennsylvania State Police.
21(3)   The Pennsylvania State Police shall:
22(i)    Check the fingerprints of the individual against
23records in the Pennsylvania State Police central
24repository for the purpose of obtaining a current
25criminal history record of any criminal arrests and
26convictions.
27(ii)   Submit the fingerprints of the individual to
28the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the purpose of
29verifying the identity of the individual and obtaining a
30current record of any criminal arrests and convictions.
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1(iii)   Forward the results of the criminal history
2record check to the board for the sole purpose of
3determining the individual's eligibility for the
4registration or permit, certification, license,
5qualification, credential or renewal under this part.
6(4)   The board may not disseminate the criminal history
7    record check information received under paragraph (3)(iii) to
8    any other entity.
9    (b)    Photographs.--
10(1)   An appointee, employee and prospective employee
11    engaged in the service of the commission or the board and an
12    applicant under this part shall submit to photographing by
13    the Pennsylvania State Police or a local law enforcement
14    agency capable of submitting photographs electronically to
15    the Pennsylvania State Police.
16(2)   Photographing under this subsection shall consist of
17    taking images of the face and any scar, mark or tattoo for
18    purposes of comparison utilizing an automated biometric
19    imaging system.
20(3)   Photographs obtained under this subsection may be
21    maintained by the commission, the board and the Pennsylvania
22    State Police for use under this part and for general law
23    enforcement purposes.
24    (c)    Payment.--In addition to any other fee or cost assessed
25 by the commission or the board, an applicant shall pay for the
26 cost of fingerprinting and photographing under this section.
27    Section 5.      The definition of "applicant" in section 3102 of
28 Title 4 is amended to read:
29 § 3102.    Definitions.
30    The following words and phrases when used in this part shall
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1 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
2 context clearly indicates otherwise:
3    * * *
4    "Applicant."     A person who, on his own behalf or on behalf of
5 another, applies for [permission to engage in an act or activity
6 that is regulated under the provisions of this part.]
7 registration or a permit, certification, license, qualification,
8 renewal or other credential issued by the board under this part.
9 If the applicant is a person other than an individual, the board
10 shall determine the associated persons whose qualifications are
11 necessary as a precondition to the registration, permit,
12 certification, license, qualification or other credential issued
13 by the board of the applicant.
14    * * *
15    Section 6.     Section 3301(b)(8) of Title 4 is amended to read:
16 § 3301.    Powers of board.
17    * * *
18    (b)    Specific powers.--The board shall have the power and
19 duty:
20* * *
21(8)   [To require prospective and existing video gaming
22    employees, independent contractors, applicants, permittees
23    and licensees to submit to fingerprinting by the Pennsylvania
24    State Police or its authorized designee. The Pennsylvania
25    State Police or its authorized designee shall submit the
26    fingerprints to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for
27    purposes of verifying the identity of the individual and
28    obtaining records of criminal arrests and convictions.] In
29    order to ensure the integrity of gaming-related activities in
30    this Commonwealth, to require criminal history record checks
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1  for an individual who is a prospective employee, existing
2  employee, independent contractor, applicant or licensee and
3  seeks registration or a permit, certification, license,
4  qualification, renewal or other credential issued by the
5  board under this chapter. The following shall apply:
6(i)    The individual must submit a full set of
7      fingerprints to the Pennsylvania State Police.
8(ii)    The Pennsylvania State Police shall check the
9      fingerprints of the individual against records in the
10      Pennsylvania State Police central repository for the
11      purpose of obtaining a current criminal history record of
12      any criminal arrests and convictions.
13(iii)    The Pennsylvania State Police shall submit the
14      fingerprints of the individual to the Federal Bureau of
15      Investigation for the purpose of verifying the identity
16      of the individual and obtaining a current record of any
17      criminal arrests and convictions.
18(iv)    The Pennsylvania State Police shall forward the
19      results of the criminal history record check to the board
20      for the sole purpose of determining the individual's
21      eligibility for the registration, permit, certification,
22      license, renewal or other qualification. The board may
23      not disseminate the criminal history record check
24      information to any other entity.
25      * * *
26  Section 7.     This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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