* WARNING: THIS IS AN UNOFFICIAL, INTRODUCTORY COPY OF THE BILL.
THE OFFICIAL COPY CONSIDERED BY THE CITY COUNCIL IS THE FIRST READER COPY.
INTRODUCTORY*
CITY OF BALTIMORE
COUNCIL BILL R
(Resolution)
Introduced by: Councilmember Curran
A RESOLUTION ENTITLED
A COUNCIL RESOLUTION concerning
Title
Request for State Legislation - Decriminalize "Friendly" Poker Games
FOR the purpose of respectfully requesting that members of the Baltimore City Senate and House Delegations to the 2006/2007 Maryland General Assembly introduce legislation to decriminalize "friendly" poker games and provide a civil citation procedure for such activities.
Body
Recitals
Currently in Baltimore City, there is a criminal penalty for any and all gambling charges. Everyday, friends get together and play cards, where there is no house earning money and no business being run. In these situations, where money is being exchanged between friends, and there is no casino or house involved, and no business making money off the gambling of the individuals, there should be a civil remedy for the breakage of the law rather than a criminal one. The idea that there is so much crime around us and that Police Department resources are already being used to their limits, should be cause enough for these "friendly" poker games to be treated as a civil matter, rather than a criminal one.
On November 4, 2005, the Baltimore City Police raided an illegal poker club and charged 80 people with illegal gambling. Most of the people involved were upstanding citizens who did not even realize they were doing anything wrong. Even in this case, where the house was mak...
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