PART III.  ELECTION PROVISIONS

§381.  Parishwide election on slot machine gaming

A.  Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, no slot machine gaming shall be allowed in an eligible facility in any parish unless the operation and conduct of slot machine gaming pursuant to this Chapter has first been approved at an election held for such purpose.

B.  Any person desiring to operate and conduct slot machine gaming at an eligible facility in a parish shall make application to the governing authority of the parish in which the proposed slot machine gaming is to be conducted.  The application shall state the location of the proposed slot machine gaming and describe the facilities proposed to be constructed for the holding of slot machine gaming and shall have attached the license, or a certified copy thereof, for the live horse race meeting issued by the Louisiana State Racing Commission to conduct such live horse racing at the eligible facility.

C.  Upon receipt of the application, the governing authority of the parish in which the slot machine gaming is proposed to be held shall call and conduct a referendum election within the parish for the purpose of submitting to the qualified electors of the parish the proposition whether or not the proposed slot machine gaming shall be allowed.

D.  Except as provided in this Section, the elections shall be held in compliance with the Louisiana Election Code provisions governing proposition elections.  In addition to the notice required by the Louisiana Election Code, the parish governing authority also shall have five spot announcements, at least two days apart, of the election broadcast on radio or television channels readily receivable in the parish and shall make notice of the election available to the news media.  All qualified electors of the parish shall be entitled to vote in the election.

E.  The proposition to be printed on the election ballot shall be: "TO AUTHORIZE SLOT MACHINE GAMING AT LIVE HORSE RACING FACILITIES.  Shall the business of slot machine gaming at a live horse racing facility be conducted within the parish of __________" and the voters shall vote for or against the proposition, a vote for the proposition being a "Yes" vote and a vote against the proposition being a "No" vote.  The election shall be conducted as provided in the Louisiana Election Code.  Any elector who was qualified to vote in the election may demand a recount of the ballots or contest the election in the manner and within the time provided by law for recount or contest of elections under the general election laws of the state.

F.  The parish governing authority shall notify the applicant and the Gaming Control Board promptly of the results of the election.  If slot machine gaming has been approved, the applicant may proceed in accordance with this Chapter and rules adopted pursuant to the authority of this Chapter.  If the proposed slot machine gaming has not been approved at the election, the board shall not grant a license therefor and shall not accept or consider an application for such a license in the same parish until the expiration of at least two years from the date of the election at which the slot machine gaming in the parish was disapproved.

Acts 1997, No. 721, §1, eff. July 9, 1997; Acts 2010, No. 861, §11.