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Final Two Members Of Gaming Commission Named

The panel responsible for overseeing the state's new casino industry has been finalized.

State leaders on Tuesday named retired Appeals Court Justice James McHugh and former Springfield City Councilor Bruce Stebbins to the Massachusetts Gaming Commission.

McHugh and Stebbins, the fourth and fifth members of the panel, were appointed jointly by Gov. Deval Patrick, Attorney General Martha Coakley and State Treasurer Steve Grossman.

According to a statement released by Patrick's office, McHugh has presided over 600 trials in both civil and criminal matters and served for 10 years as chair of the Committee on Judicial Ethics.

At a news conference Tuesday, he said his experience as a judge will make him patient to work on the commission the right way.

"Process is not something to be moved to one side to get a result," McHugh said. "And that’s why I look forward to participating."

Also according to Patrick's office, Stebbins has worked for the City of Springfield since 2010 and served for two terms on the Springfield City Council.

"I’m looking at this from a jobs perspective," he said at the news conference Tuesday.

On the commission, the final two appointees join former state Finance Secretary Stephen Crosby, who is the panel's chair; former N.J. Detective Gayle Cameron; and state official Enrique Zuniga.

“Together, these five commissioners have the breadth of experience and judgment to effectively oversee this critical new industry in our Commonwealth,” Coakley said in a statement. “As we proceed with gaming in Massachusetts, we must ensure that it is done right and having this strong commission in place is an important first step.”

The panel will be responsible for writing regulations and awarding licenses for up to three casinos and one slots parlor in the state.

Earlier:

This article was originally published on March 20, 2012.

This program aired on March 20, 2012. The audio for this program is not available.

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