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Home > Blogs > Ohio politics > Archives > 2009 > November > 19 > Entry
Senators propose ban on convicted felons in casino business
Sens. Timothy Grendell, R-Chesterland, and Bill Seitz, R-Cincinnati, on Thursday, Nov. 19, unveiled legislation that would outright ban convicted felons from ever having anything to do with the casino business in Ohio.
Senate Bill 208 goes beyond a proposal from casino backers that would allow a convicted felon to apply for a casino-related license five years after a conviction if the “applicant ….is honest, truthful and of good reputation, and there is no basis in fact for believing that the applicant or other person will commit such an offense again.”
Grendell said the bill is aimed at curbing “the potential for mischief.”
The bill also is tougher than the casino-backed plan in defining who would be subject to a background criminal check, Grendell said. The casino bill defines owner as someone with 10 percent or more of an interest in a casino while the Grendell-Seitz plan defines owner as someone with 5 percent or more interest.
Also, Grendell and Sen. Jon Husted, R-Kettering, introduced Senate Bill 206, that would limit gambling interests from contributing more than $500 a year to a political campaign. The casino industry-backed bill went further, banning all such contributions.
The proposed legislation follows voter approval on Nov. 3 of a plan to put casinos in Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Toledo. Penn National Gaming and Dan Gilbert, majority owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, were key backers.
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Comments
By Philman
November 24, 2009 6:19 AM | Link to this
After we pass this law, lets pass another one to keep them out of the whitehouse, as in Van Jones,
By Maria
November 23, 2009 6:50 PM | Link to this
They have done their time and completed their sentences. Get over yourselves and let them earn a living. You don’t ever want them to go back to prison. Yet you dont want them to have a job.
By Scoopster
November 23, 2009 4:08 AM | Link to this
The big picture is, the fact that they can pass this law and there will still be corruption regardless. Felon has nothing to do with it. We had corruption in the BWC system, the AG’s office, and now paying state workers while playing golf, and talk on cell phones. It won’t matter. Corruption in Cleveland also, and the list goes on and on. We need the expungment laws revised and passed, so JUDGES, not bureaucratic law makers can make the decisions for us. I hope to get to testify against this bill when hearings are held.
By fortressdayton
November 22, 2009 2:39 AM | Link to this
This is the single biggest reason people return to prison after their release. The permanent (!) disenfranchisement of many (not all) ex-felons. There are many criminals who don’t want or deserve a chance to re-enter mainstream society, but for those who do we need a better way than a blind prohibition in in non-sensitive jobs.
By FrontStreet
November 20, 2009 2:19 PM | Link to this
What ignorant, illogical nonsense is this? What about the young people in Ohio who are “felons” because of “sexual contact w/a minor”? Their “felony” was a consensual relationship; possibly one they were “fooled” into participation in the first place! Yeah; we really need to make sure THEY don’t hold ANY job, EVER; don’t we?
By etackett
November 19, 2009 3:44 PM | Link to this
was Bernard Madof a felon or the upper levels of enron. No. Curbing the potential for mischief not.just vindictiveness
By citizen
November 19, 2009 2:27 PM | Link to this
Hey Null, That’s just part of the price for being a convicted felon.
By null
November 19, 2009 2:21 PM | Link to this
what the hell is wrong with you people if a convicted felon has completed all his/her time why the hell are u still taking away from people. all that does is make it more difficult for everybody,even you.