§45-8-150.03. Bingo games - Permits; ordinances.

(a) No qualified organization shall be permitted to operate a bingo game unless the county governing body, or the governing bodies of the respective cities and towns, within their respective jurisdictions, issues a permit to the organization authorizing it to do so. The permit required by this article is in addition to, and not in lieu of, any other business license which may be required by law, and no bingo game shall be operated until all required licenses have been obtained. A permit holder may hold only one permit and that permit is valid for only one location. A permit is not assignable or transferable.

(b) The Calhoun County Commission, or any governing body for any municipality wholly or partially located within Calhoun County, may establish an ordinance for the operation of bingo games within its jurisdiction. Any ordinance adopted by a governing body shall be at least as restrictive of the operation of bingo games as this article. Any person, organization, or other legal entity not authorized to conduct bingo games pursuant to this part shall not be allowed to conduct bingo games under any ordinance.

(c) Any qualified organization desiring to obtain a permit to conduct bingo games in a calendar year shall apply to the county governing body if the proposed site for the bingo session or sessions are not within the police jurisdiction of any municipality. If the proposed site for the bingo session or sessions is within the police jurisdiction of any municipality in Calhoun County, the qualified organization desiring to obtain a permit shall apply to the governing body of the respective municipality. Application shall be made on forms provided by the Calhoun County Bingo Regulatory Commission to each governing body. Applications by qualified organizations shall be subscribed to by a legal representative of the qualified organization before a notary public or other attesting officer authorized to administer oaths, and each application shall contain a certification by the notary public or other attesting officer that the subscriber has appeared before him or her and sworn to the truth of the contents thereof. Each governing body, upon receiving completed applications from qualified organizations for the issuance of permits, shall immediately deliver to the Calhoun County Bingo Regulatory Commission a copy of each application. It is the intent of the Legislature that the governing body to which application is made for a permit to conduct a bingo session or sessions consult with the Calhoun County Bingo Regulatory Commission before issuing any permit. In no event shall any governing body issue a permit for the operation of bingo within its jurisdiction until 30 days after the governing body has delivered a copy of the completed application to the Calhoun County Bingo Regulatory Commission. In the event of any controversy concerning whether or not a permit for the operation of bingo should be issued, the decision of the Calhoun County Bingo Regulatory Commission that the permit shall not be issued shall control, but the Calhoun County Bingo Regulatory Commission shall not unreasonably deny nor arbitrarily deny a permit, and the commission shall consult with the governing body at least 10 days before any denial of a permit. Under no circumstances may the Calhoun County Bingo Regulatory Commission require the governing body to issue a permit for the operation of bingo. The governing body may charge a reasonable fee for the issuance of any permit to operate bingo games within its jurisdiction. In addition, each applicant for a permit shall pay an operator's fee to the Calhoun County Bingo Regulatory Commission in accordance with the schedule below.

(d) The governing body shall refuse to grant a bingo permit to any applicant who fails to fully provide the information required by this subsection. Each applicant for a permit shall prove its length of existence and, except for an applicant for a "D" or special permit, the ownership of real property in Calhoun County for at least three years immediately preceding the application. Additionally, each applicant shall provide all of the following information:

(1) The name and home address of the applicant and, if the applicant is a corporation, association, private club, or other similar legal entity, the name and home address of each officer, director, or other similarly situated person in the organization.

(2) The name and home address of each person anticipated to operate or promote the bingo game.

(3) The name and home address of each person, organization, club, or other legal entity anticipated to act as surety for the applicant.

(4) The location where the applicant will conduct the bingo games. Bingo games shall be held only on premises wholly owned by a qualified permit holder except in the situation where a rental agreement has been entered into by the applicant pursuant to this article.

(5) A statement revealing the existence of any other bingo or gambling establishment with which any person listed in subdivisions (1), (2), or (3) is presently associated or has a proprietary interest in, or with which the person has been associated or had a proprietary interest in within the past 15 years.

(6) A certification by the applicant that all bingo sessions shall only be organized, promoted, and operated by officers, directors, legal representatives, or employees of the qualified organization applicant.

(7) Any other necessary and reasonable information which the Calhoun County Bingo Regulatory Commission or the governing body may require.

(e) Permits may be amended upon resubmission of an application by the applicant to the governing body, submission by the governing body of a copy of the resubmitted application to the Calhoun County Bingo Regulatory Commission, and surrender of the current permit. The governing body may charge a reasonable fee for the issuance of an amended permit. The applicant shall pay a fee upon issuance of an amended permit to the Calhoun County Bingo Regulatory Commission in accordance with this article.

(f) Permits, except for special permits issued pursuant to this article, are issued on an annual basis and shall expire at midnight one year after the date of issuance.

(Act 96-662, p. 1075, §4.)