HARRISBURG -- State Sen. Jay Costa has come up with an idea that he thinks will give Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board investigators more independence from the board.

The Forest Hills Democrat wants to create a state Gaming Enforcement Agency, and move two existing divisions of the gaming board under it -- the Bureau of Investigations and Enforcement and the Office of Enforcement Counsel.

The new Gaming Enforcement Agency would handle two major jobs: conducting background investigations of applicants for slots licenses and investigating any allegations of criminal violations of the gaming act, which was enacted in July 2004 and amended in November 2006.

Under the Costa bill, the board itself would continue to hold hearings and decide which applicants get slots licenses. It also would keep administrative records on tax revenues resulting from slot machine play at casinos.

"This proposal will create a truly independent and politically insulated investigative and enforcement agency," said Mr. Costa. The new agency would also work with the attorney general, state police and the board to enforce the gaming law.

Some critics, especially Republican legislators, have said it's not a good idea to have the Bureau of Investigations and Enforcement fall under the gaming board, as it does now.

Some contend the bureau could be pressured by the politically appointed members of the gaming board into overlooking or soft-pedaling negative factors in a slots applicant's background. The gaming board members are named by the governor and legislative leaders.

Republicans claim that if the bureau were independent of the board, such political pressure would be less likely to happen. Some GOP legislators want to shift the investigation division to the state police, while others think it fits better under the attorney general.

Mr. Costa is now seeking co-sponsors for his legislation, and it isn't certain yet that any of the proposed moves will take place.