Bill Summary – FastDemocracy

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                                                              Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie

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                                              AN ACT

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                    IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

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 To amend Title 25 of the District of Columbia Official Code to authorize, define, and regulate

       games of skill, to amend Title 36 to align the new authority of ABCA with the Code.

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 BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this act may

 be cited as the "Revised Game of Skill Machines Consumer Protections Amendment Act of

 2024".

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        Sec. 2. Title 25 of the District of Columbia Official Code is amended as follows:

                (a) Section 25-113.01(e)(1) is amended to read as follows:

                        “(e)(1) A licensee under a manufacturer's license class A or B or an on-

 premises retailer's license, class C/R, D/R, C/H, D/H, C/T, D/T, C/N, D/N, C/X, or DX, shall

 obtain a game of skill machine endorsement from the Board in order to offer a game of skill

 machine on the licensed premises.”

                        (2)(A) A game of skill machine shall not be placed on outdoor public or

 private space; except, that the Board, in its discretion, may allow for the placement of a game of

 skill machine on outdoor public or private space if, in the Board's determination, activity

 associated with the game of skill machine is:

                               (i) Not visible from a public street or sidewalk;

                               (ii) Adequately secured against unauthorized entrance; and

                               (iii) Accessible only by patrons from within the establishment.

                        (B) Subparagraph (A) of this paragraph shall not apply to a licensee

 operating a passenger-carrying marine vessel in accordance with § 25-113(h).”

 Sec. 3. The Law to Legalize Lotteries, Daily Numbers Games, and Bingo and Raffles for

 Charitable Purposes in the District of Columbia, effective March 10, 1981 (D.C. Law 3-172;

 D.C. Official Code §§ 22-1716 to 22-1718 and 36-601.01 et seq.), is amended as follows:

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        (a) Section 408 (D.C. Official Code § 36-641.08) is amended to read as follows:

                (1) Subparagraph (a) is amended as follows:

                “(a)(2) Possesses a retailer’s license, and a game of skill machine endorsement

 from ABCA in accordance with § 25-113.01(e); and”

                (2) Subparagraph (b) is amended by striking the phrase “Office” inserting the

 phrase “ABCA” in its place.

                (3) Subparagraph (b)(3) is amended by striking the phrase “Office” inserting the

 phrase “ABCA” in its place.

                (4) Subparagraph (b)(4) is amended by striking the phrase “Office” inserting the

 phrase “ABCA” in its place.

                (5) Subparagraph (e) is amended by striking the phrase “Office” inserting the

 phrase “ABCA” in its place.

        (b) Section 408 (D.C. Official Code § 36-641.13(a)(1)) is amended to read as follows:

                “(a)(1) The Office shall procure a centralized accounting system for games of

 skill machines, which shall be linked to a communications network. All games of skill machines

 registered in the District shall connect to the centralized accounting system through the

 communications network. The centralized accounting system shall be administered by the Office

 and shall allow for the accounting, reporting, monitoring, and reading of game of skill machine

 activities by the District for the purposes of assisting the Office in determining compliance with,

 and enforcing, the provisions of this subchapter and the rules issued pursuant to this subchapter.

 The centralized accounting system shall also allow for game of skill machines to be activated

 and deactivated remotely by the Office.”

        (c) Section 421 (D.C. Official Code § 36-641.21(a)) is amended to read as follows:

                “(a) The CFO, pursuant to subchapter I of Chapter 5 of Title 2, shall amend

 existing rules regarding skill games in the District of Columbia and issue rules to implement the

 provisions of this subchapter consistent with the new authority to ABCA.”

        Sec. 4. Severability.

        If any provision of this act, or the application thereof to any person or circumstance, is

 found by a court invalid, such determination shall not affect other provisions or applications of

 this act which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application.

        Sec. 5. Fiscal impact statement.

        The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement in the committee report as the fiscal

 impact statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975,

 approved October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1-301.47a).

        Sec. 6. Effective date.

        This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the

 Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), a 30-day period of congressional review as

 provided in section 602(c)(1) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December

 24, 1973, (87 Stat. 813; D.C. Official Code § 1-206.02(c)(1)), and publication in the District of

 Columbia Register.