Section 19980.

(a) The Legislature finds and declares that there is a compelling governmental interest in ensuring that elections conducted pursuant to Section 19960 are conducted fairly and that electors in those elections are presented with fair and balanced arguments in support of and in opposition to the existence of gambling establishments. Large contributions by gambling operators or prospective gambling operators who will be financially interested in the outcome of the election often unfairly distort the context in which those elections take place.

(b) In California, in other states, and in other countries, there is ample historical evidence of the potential for revenues derived from gambling to be used to corrupt political officials in the regulation or prosecution of crimes related to gambling activities, embezzlement, and money laundering.

(c) This article is an exercise of the police power of the state for the protection of the health, safety, and welfare of the people of this state.

(Added by renumbering Section 19959 by Stats. 2002, Ch. 738, Sec. 122. Effective January 1, 2003.)