AUGUSTA (AP) – A legislative panel has given unanimous support to a bill that provides broad exemptions to the state’s right-to-know law for a company that plans to operate racetrack casino in Bangor.

But the Legal and Veterans Affairs Committee did agree to give the public more access than was originally proposed.

The committee removed privacy protection for such information as the political activity and civil and criminal histories of gaming employees. It also would require these companies to release information on the compensation for executives.

But many items still remained protected, from trade secrets to information regulators determine would be an “unwarranted invasion of personal privacy” if released.

“It remains one of the broadest pieces of confidentiality statute that would exist in Maine law if you enact it,” said Chief Deputy Attorney General Linda Pistner.

Penn National Gaming plans to install slot machines at the Bangor Raceway, creating a racetrack casino, or racino as they’re known in the industry. The company requested the statute to shield some information from the public.

The 11-0 vote by the committee means the bill will now go the Legislature’s Judiciary Committee for review. After clearing that hurdle, it would go before the full Legislature.

Penn officials on Wednesday watched the nearly three-hour discussion of the bill. Without assurance that sensitive information will be protected, they have said they could not submit the rest of the information state gaming regulators need to complete the slots operator licensing process.

Rep. Pat Blanchette, a Bangor Democrat on the committee, said she was pleased with the panel’s strong support for the bill, LD 90, which advances plans for a $75 million racetrack casino at Bass Park, home to the Bangor Raceway.

“But I won’t have exactly what I want until there’s a racino in Bangor,” Blanchette added.

AP-ES-02-10-05 1243EST