HARRISBURG -- A Senate committee gave unanimous approval today to a major overhaul of Pennsylvania's 5-year-old slots casino law, and the full Senate might act as early as next week.

The bill would reimpose a ban on casino officials contributing to the political campaigns of legislators and other state officials, a ban that was contained in the 2004 slots law but was recently struck down by the state Supreme Court.

The bill also makes 36 other changes, including giving a Senate panel the power to hold a public hearing on the governor's appointees to the state Gaming Control Board, and bans Control Board members from holding any outside jobs. The salary for board members is $145,000 a year and the board chairman's salary is $150,000.

The provision on outside jobs would apply only to future board members.

Another change would require future board employees to agree in writing, before they are hired, to wait at least two years after leaving the board before going to work for a law firm or other company that deals with the Gaming board.

This is called the "anti-revolving door" provision, and is aimed at stopping board lawyers, in the future, from quitting their jobs and immediately going to work for law firms for casinos, which several board lawyers have done. This new prohibition could face a challenge in court, since lawyers maintain that only the state Supreme Court can regulate lawyers.

Another change would require an appointing authority -- the governor or a top legislative leader -- to fill a vacancy on the board within 60 days.

The bill's sponsor, Sen. Jane Earll, R-Erie, said the bill might come up in the full Senate next week for a vote. She wasn't sure if there would be enough time for the House to vote on it before the summer recess, which may be delayed by the current budget battle.

Ms. Earll said she does not want her measure, Senate Bill 711, to become a legislative "vehicle'' for legalizing table games in Pennsylvania. There is separate legislation for that change, and table games would be such a major addition to casinos that there should be a full public "vetting" of the issue on its own, not as an amendment to this bill, she said.

More details in tomorrow's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.