Under existing New Jersey law, a drug conviction bars casino employment. But a vote by the full Senate this week would eliminate the restriction, according to the Press of Atlantic City. Governor Phil Murphy expects to sign the law, approved in the Assembly last month.
“I believe the best way to give love and truly help anyone struggling with addiction is to provide real hope for their long-term recovery by creating job opportunities,” said prime co-sponsor state Senator Chris Brown.
The measure would allow the state Casino Control Commission to issue a casino employee license and the state Division of Gaming Enforcement to allow a casino employee registration to any applicant who has successfully completed a term of special probation, or recovery court.
Brown developed the original bill after a conversation with Joe Jingoli, a partner in Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City, who believes it’s Hard Rock’s corporate responsibility to give recovering addicts a second chance.
“At a time when the scourge of addiction has touched all of us, what better way to combat it than true opportunity and jobs?” Jingoli asked.
The original legislation passed the Senate last year, but the Assembly made some changes, which required a new Senate bill.
Under the recovery court, low-level drug offenders spend up to five years being testing for drug use instead of doing prison time. The program requires regular court appearances and supervision by a host of officials.
A lot of participants end up in prison anyway, because they can’t stay clean.
But according to a Press editorial, since 2002, more than 5,400 people have completed the program—called Recovery Court in Atlantic and Cape May counties—and fewer than 3 percent of graduates ended up in prison within three years.
Giving offenders a genuine second chance is another motivation to remain law-abiding. A new conviction of any sort could restore their entire criminal record with no expungement possible.
The law would allow people who have put their mistakes behind them to start building a career in the gaming industry. The license is needed for supervisory and management positions.
