HB 249 -- AMUSEMENT MACHINE OPERATORS

SPONSOR:  Treadway

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on
Professional Registration and Licensing by a vote of 15 to 0.

This bill requires amusement machine operators to obtain
licenses from the Director of the Department of Revenue.  Fees
to obtain a license to operate amusement machines will be set by
the director at no more than $1,500 for a 2-year license.
Licenses to operate amusement machines used specifically at
carnivals, local or county fairs, or at the state fair will be
$100 dollars for each month the machines are in operation.

The bill outlines the qualifications for an amusement machine
operator license.  Applicants must be at least 21 years of age,
a Missouri resident for at least one year, and provide proof
that they have paid Missouri sales tax on all previous business
transactions conducted in this state.

Persons operating amusement machines without a license will be
fined $100 for each machine found in their possession.  The
director is given authority to seize any machine in an
unlicensed person's possession.

The director will require all licensed amusement machine
operators to identify their machines with decals.  These decals
will contain the license number of the operator and any other
information deemed necessary by the director.  Decals will be
prominently displayed on all machines.

The bill further authorizes the director to make rules; issue
warnings and probation; assess penalties; suspend and revoke
licenses; prescribe forms, applications, and licenses; and
conduct examinations.

The bill allows any aggrieved party to appeal to the
Administrative Hearing Commission.

The bill creates within the department the Amusement Machine
Operator License Fund.  All moneys collected will be deposited
within the fund for the purpose of paying expenditures incurred
by the department.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Net Effect to Amusement Machine Operator
License Fund of $0 in FY 2002, an income of $221,714 in FY 2003,
and a cost of $94,715 in FY 2004.  Estimated Net Effect to
Professional Registration Fund of $0 in FY 2002, FY 2003, and FY
2004.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that many unlicensed and unregulated
amusement machines operate in this state.  Those operators are
not paying any taxes on those machines.  The bill would get
those machines registered and on the tax rolls.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Treadway; and Coin
Machine Operators Association.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Bob Dominique, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated November 26, 2001 at 11:43 am