§ 12-196. Permits.

(a)

Any person intending to operate a gaming establishment as defined herein shall, prior to any opening or operation thereof, apply to the parish administrator for a permit to open and operate a gaming establishment and shall verify in writing in said application the exact nature of the gaming establishment to be opened and operated and an exact description of the gaming activities to be conducted on said premises. The parish administrator may require such other information in the application as he deems pertinent, such as the location, ownership, owners' and employees' addresses, owners' and/or employees' arrest/conviction history and so forth.

(b)

Any gaming establishment permit issued under this part shall be dated from January 1 of each year and all applications for renewal permits shall be fled with the parish on or before November 1 of each year and each application and each renewal application shall be accompanied by a nonrefundable permit fee in an amount as established by the parish commission, from time to time.

(c)

All permit applications shall be approved or denied within 30 days after submission to the parish administrator.

(d)

If the parish administrator declines to grant the permit required in subsection (a) of this section, the parish administrator shall furnish the applicant written reasons for the denial within 15 days after said application has been denied. The parish administrator may mail the reasons to the applicant at the address given in the application by certified or registered mail.

(e)

Any applicant denied a gaming establishment permit by the parish administrator may appeal the decision of the parish administrator to the parish commission by submitting a letter to the commission clerk within 30 days of receipt of the written reasons for the denial required in subsection (d) of this section. The parish administrator's certified or registered mail receipt shall be sufficient to establish the date of mailing for computing the 30-day appeal time. Said letter shall allege the applicant's reasons why the permit denial by the parish administrator was illegal or improper. The parish commission, within 30 days after receiving such notice of appeal, shall grant or deny a request for a hearing on the appeal and, after the hearing of the appeal, shall sustain, modify or reverse the findings of the parish administrator and shall notify the parish administrator of its findings. The findings of the parish commission shall be final, subject to any applicable legal processes.

(Code 1985, § 15-17(b))