NATIONAL GAMBLING IMPACT STUDY COMMISSION

MR. GRIFFITHS: This has been a very long road. Madam Chair and members of this Commission, I appreciate the opportunity again to come before you. I think Dr. Kelly deserves a lot of the credit for getting us here. He's been very patient in working with the research subcommittee and myself. Hopefully we've developed a basis where we can work together effectively and carry out the research task that we've been discussing for nine months. I've been told to be very brief, so I'm going to be very brief.

You've seen all the materials that we've had in the past and really I think the contract is a combination of those various materials put together. As you know, we're going to carry out two research tasks, one in Section 7 of the law which deals with reviewing and cataloging laws, regulations for federal, state and local governments and Indian tribes. And the first task under Section 4(a) which looks at policies and practices in federal, state and local governments, as well as Indian tribes. That one also includes taking a look at the cost associated with those policies and practices. In discussions with Dr. Kelly we also discussed the possibility of trying to take a cursory look at some of the cost benefit type of assessment. All of that would be done in discussions with officials. We not be doing a cost benefit analysis or a very formal economic impact type of study.

The products that we have discussed delivering are three. First would be an overall assessment of our activities related to laws, regulations, policies and practices. A second was asked more recently and that touches on the differences that we find in the laws and regulations relating to the gambling industry as opposed to those relating to Indian tribes. And finally, we would deliver a data base of the laws and regulations and so forth that we have collected and they will be indexed and thereby able to be queried by public officials as well as other research interests.

That's what we've been proposing over a period of nine months and has been refined and refined and refined. We look forward in assisting you in these research tasks and hopefully we can get started quickly. In anticipation of this meeting, we're already looking at some consulting. We have a little bit of consulting funds. We're looking at developing a bid to get some university help, we probably need some graduate students to help us out as well as some university help in the collection of these things and in the creation of the data base. So we hope to get started as soon as we're authorized to get started. Thank you.

CHAIRMAN JAMES: Thank you. Any questions? Thank you very much. We're delighted to be at this point.

COMMISSIONER MC CARTHY: Would you consider what I've said a motion for the Commission, Madam Chair?

CHAIRMAN JAMES: I would happy to. Is there a second to the motion?

COMMISSIONER LANNI: Second.

CHAIRMAN JAMES: So moved. Any discussion? All in favor?

(Chorus of ayes.)

CHAIRMAN JAMES: Opposed?

(No response.)

CHAIRMAN JAMES: The motion carries.

COMMISSIONER MC CARTHY: One final point, Madam Chair, in the research subcommittee report, Dr. Kelly referred to the research budget. I think we're all very pleased that he worked hard to try to get some of our sister departments to come up with approximately $300,000 to help us. I do want to indicate, however, that there are several pending matters that we have not costed out yet and I didn't want any of the other members of the Commission outside the research committee to leave this meeting without those in mind.

The Internet is an area we are looking at for some appropriate research. Indian gambling regulation is an area we're looking at for some appropriate research. The issue of credit that has come up several times, I talked to my two colleagues on the research committee very briefly and we haven't formulated anything but it's something that we want to look at, the use of credit cards and other issues related to credit as they impact on problem and pathological gamblers. So those areas are out there. That concludes my report. Thank you.

CHAIRMAN JAMES: Thank you. Any questions for the research subcommittee?

Thank you very much.