(a) General rule.--The board's consideration and resolution of all license or permit applications shall be conducted in accordance with 2 Pa.C.S. (relating to administrative law and procedure) or with procedures adopted by order of the board. Notwithstanding the requirements of 2 Pa.C.S. §§ 504 (relating to hearing and record) and 505 (relating to evidence and cross-examination) as they relate to the conduct of oral hearings, the board may adopt procedures to provide parties before it with a documentary hearing, and the board may resolve disputed material facts without conducting an oral hearing where constitutionally permissible.

(b) Public input hearing requirement.--

(1) The board shall hold at least one public input hearing prior to:

(i) Approving a slot machine license application or renewing a slot machine license.

(ii) Approving the structural redesign of a licensed facility located in a city of the first class.

(2) All public input hearings under paragraph (1) shall be held in the municipality where the licensed facility will be, or is, located and shall be organized in cooperation with the municipality.

(3) A list of all witnesses scheduled to testify at a public input hearing shall be made public at least seven days prior to the hearing. The list shall be updated at least three days prior to the hearing. Additional witnesses shall be posted on the board's Internet website as they are added to the list.

(4) In addition to any witnesses scheduled to testify under paragraph (3), the board shall establish a public comment period during which time members of the public may address the board regarding the application, license or proposed structural redesign. The board, in its discretion, may place reasonable time limits on an individual's comments.

(Nov. 1, 2006, P.L.1243, No.135, eff. imd.; Jan. 7, 2010, P.L.1, No.1, eff. imd.)

2010 Amendment. Act 1 amended subsec. (b)(1) and (2) and added subsec. (b)(4).

2006 Amendment. Section 19 of Act 135 provided that subsec. (b) shall apply to any slot machine license application filed on or after the effective date of section 19.