§ 18.2-340.25 Permit required; application fee; form of application
A. Except as provided for in § 18.2-340.23, prior to the commencement of any charitable game, an organization shall obtain a permit from the Department.
B. All complete applications for a permit shall be acted upon by the Department within 45 days from the filing thereof. Upon compliance by the applicant with the provisions of this article, and at the discretion of the Department, a permit may be issued. All permits when issued shall be valid for the period specified in the permit unless it is sooner suspended or revoked. No permit shall be valid for longer than two years. The application shall be a matter of public record. All permits shall be subject to regulation by the Department to ensure the public safety and welfare in the operation of charitable games. The permit shall only be granted after a reasonable investigation has been conducted by the Department. The Department may require any prospective employee, permit holder, or applicant to submit to fingerprinting and to provide personal descriptive information to be forwarded along with employee’s, licensee’s, or applicant’s fingerprints through the Central Criminal Records Exchange to the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the purposes of obtaining criminal history record information regarding such prospective employee, permit holder, or applicant. The Central Criminal Records Exchange upon receipt of a prospective employee, licensee, or applicant record or notification that no record exists, shall forward the report to the Commissioner of the Department or his designee, who shall belong to a governmental entity. However, nothing in this subsection shall be construed to require the routine fingerprinting of volunteer bingo workers.
C. In no case shall an organization receive more than one permit allowing it to conduct charitable gaming; except that an organization may also apply for and receive a temporary permit pursuant to § 18.2-340.25:2.
D. Application for a charitable gaming permit shall be made on forms prescribed by the Department and shall be accompanied by payment of the fee for processing the application.
E. Applications for renewal of permits shall be made in accordance with Department regulations. If a complete renewal application is received 45 days or more prior to the expiration of the permit, the permit shall continue to be effective until such time as the Department has taken final action. Otherwise, the permit shall expire at the end of its term.
F. The failure to meet any of the requirements of § 18.2-340.24 shall cause the automatic denial of the permit, and no organization shall conduct any charitable gaming until the requirements are met and a permit is obtained.
History
This law was first created in 1995. The record of its establishment is cataloged in chapter 837 of that year’s edition of “Acts of Assembly,” the annual state publication listing all changes made to the Code of Virginia in that year. It has been modified 9 times. Those modifications are cataloged by “The Acts of Assembly,” a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly’s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1997, chapters 777 and 838; in 1999, chapter 361; in 2003, chapter 884; in 2006, chapters 211 and 644; in 2008, chapters 387 and 689; in 2017, chapter 739; in 2020, chapter 568; in 2022, chapters 554 and 609; in 2023, chapters 755 and 787.
1995, c. 837; 1997, cc. 777, 838; 1999, c. 361; 2003, c. 884; 2006, cc. 211, 644; 2008, cc. 387, 689; 2017, c. 739; 2020, c. 568; 2022, cc. 554, 609; 2023, cc. 755, 787.