HARRISBURG -- State Sen. Jeffrey Piccola, R-Dauphin, is urging the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board not to approve any more slot machine-related licenses before Oct. 31, so the Legislature will have time to make necessary reforms in the 2-year-old slots law.

Mr. Piccola's call for the delay, made yesterday, conflicts with the board's current plans to issue slots licenses for up to six racetrack/casinos at its meeting Sept. 27.

The board already has issued licenses for several slot machine manufacturers and suppliers/distributors and may issue more.

Five GOP senators, including Mr. Piccola, outlined a list of 21 changes they want to make in Act 71 of 2004, the slots law, before any casino licenses are awarded.

"I am calling on the gaming board to cease issuing licenses for anything [related to gaming] until Oct. 31, so these issues of concern can be resolved," Mr. Piccola said.

Sen. Jane Orie, R-McCandless, said changes are needed "to make sure that corruption doesn't taint gaming in this state."

Sen. Jake Corman, R-Centre, added: "We are not trying to repeal gaming. We lost that battle two years ago. But we are trying to make gaming better."

Legislators aren't the only Republicans who want changes in the slots law. Today in Pittsburgh, Lynn Swann, the party's candidate for governor, is expected to urge "a top to bottom overhaul of the gambling law."

He will call for Gov. Ed Rendell "to take immediate steps to fix the holes in the gambling law or immediately suspend all statewide gambling [licensing] operations until he does," said Swann spokesman Leonardo Alcivar.

The Legislature isn't due to return until Sept. 19, just a few days before the gaming board will give out the racetrack/casino licenses. Mr. Rendell has shown no interest in calling a special session on gaming changes before then, and Republican leaders, who control the House and Senate, say they won't call members back early.

Christopher Craig, an aide to Sen. Vincent Fumo, D-Philadelphia, a main author of Act 71, said the GOP senators were hypocrites because Senate Democrats, on July 1, tried to make changes to the slots law but Republicans refused to consider them.

Republicans now are just trying to cause problems for Democrat Rendell, who is seeking re-election in November against Mr. Swann, said Mr. Craig.

The GOP call for so-called slots reforms "is election-year politicking," added Fumo aide Gary Tuma.

Other parts of the 21-bill reform package would:

Prohibit public officials and their immediate families from holding any ownership interest in licensed casino-related firms.

Require the gaming board to file annual reports with the state Senate and House.

Require the Legislature to approve the gaming board's annual budget and all board expenditures.

Require the governor to get the Legislature's approval before transferring money to the gaming board. Recently the governor shifted $10.4 million to the board from other agencies without legislative approval.

Eliminate the supplier/distributor firms created to serve as middlemen between slots manufacturers and casinos.

Create an entirely new gaming control board with only five members, all appointed by the governor and confirmed by the Senate. The current board has seven members, four named by legislative leaders and three named by the governor but none confirmed by the Senate.

Ban board members from engaging in any salaried jobs outside of their board duties.

Ban people from serving on the board if they have worked in the gaming industry or held any interest in a licensed gaming entity for three years prior to appointment, and ban members from acquiring any interest in or working for a licensed entity for four years after completing their term.

Require the gaming board to complete background checks and look into full criminal records for all new hires. Doing so, the senators said, could avoid the problems the board has had with five employees being arrested on criminal charges.

Reject any slots license applicants who have criminal records for felony convictions. Act 71 now permits applicants to obtain licenses if they have a felony conviction before 1991.

Require casinos to issue monthly statements to their most frequent customers, listing their winnings and losses.

"These bills take some important steps to make the conduct of gaming more accountable to citizens and lessen the possibility for corruption," said Sen. Pat Vance, R-Cumberland.