Lawmakers overcome differences to pass dueling gambling plans
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Lawmakers must overcome differences to pass dueling gambling plans
WHAT’S GOING ON WITH THIS PIECE OF LEGISLATION. JOHN. WELL, BRITTANY, THE ORIGINAL COMPREHENSIVE GAMBLING BILL, WHICH INCLUDED A LOTTERY, TEN CASINOS AND SPORTS BETTING, BLEW THROUGH THE HOUSE IN A WEEK. THE SENATE VERSION, WHICH TOOK AN EXTRA THREE WEEKS TO BARELY SECURE ENOUGH VOTES, PASSED LAST NIGHT WITH SEVERAL CHANGES. FIRST OFF, HERE’S WHAT SURVIVED THE SENATE’S TWEAKS. BOTH BILLS CREATED A NINE MEMBER GAMING COMMISSION AND A GAMING ENFORCEMENT DIVISION TO SHUT DOWN UNAUTHORIZED GAMING SITES ACROSS THE STATE. IT ALSO ESTABLISHES A STATEWIDE LOTTERY, PRODUCING UP TO $379 MILLION IN STATE REVENUE EACH ALSO AUTHORIZES GOVERNOR IVEY TO ENTER INTO A COMPACT WITH THE PORCH CREEK INDIANS TO ALLOW GAMING EXPANSION AT ITS THREE LOCATIONS. NOW THE KEY DIFFERENCES THE SENATE BILL ESTABLISHES A $5 MILLION LICENSES FOR SEVEN PARIMUTUEL GAMING VENUES VERSUS FULL CASINOS APPROVED IN THE HOUSE. LEGISLATION. THERE IS ALSO NO SPORTS BETTING COMPONENT IN THE SENATE BILL LIKE THERE WAS IN THE HOUSE. PLUS, WHILE THE HOUSE DEDICATED ALL OF ITS LOTTERY PROFITS TO A SPECIAL LOTTERY EDUCATION FUND LAST NIGHT, SENATE BILL ONLY SETS ASIDE A THIRD OF THE GAMING REVENUE FOR EDUCATION LAWMAKERS ARE ON SPRING BREAK. LIKE YOU MENTIONED NEXT WEEK, WHEN I REACHED OUT TO HOUSE SPONSOR CHRIS BLACKSHEAR. ABOUT THE LEGISLATION’S FUTURE, HE SAID, WE LOOK FORWARD TO OVER SPRING BREAK, RECEIVING COPIES OF THE BILLS TO CONDUCT A VERY DELIBERATE REVIEW OF THE LEGISLATION PASSED THURSDAY EVENING SO WE CAN MAKE A DECISION ON HOW WE MOVE FORWARD IF THE HOUSE DOES NOT RUBBERSTAMP ALL OF THE SENATE’S CHANGES, MEMBERS FROM BOTH HOUSES MUST TRY TO IRON OUT THE DIFFERENCES IN A CONFERENCE COMMITTEE AND EVEN IF THE PLAN PASSES BOTH HOUSES AND THE GOVERNOR GOVERNOR SIGNS IT, VOTERS WILL HA
Lawmakers must overcome differences to pass dueling gambling plans
The Alabama House’s comprehensive gambling bill, which included a lottery, 10 casinos and sports betting, blew through the House in a week.The Senate version, which took an extra three weeks to barely secure enough votes, passed Thursday night with several changes. First off, here's what survived the Senate's tweaks.Both bills created a nine-member gaming commission and a gaming enforcement division to shut down unauthorized gaming sites across the state.It also establishes a state-wide lottery, producing up to $379 million in state revenue.Each also authorizes Gov. Kay Ivey to enter into a compact with the Poarch Creek Indians to allow gaming expansion at its three locations.Now, the key differences.The Senate bill establishes $5 million licenses for seven pari-mutuel gaming venues, versus full casinos approved in the House legislation.There is also no sports betting component in the Senate bill like there was in the House.The House dedicated all of the lottery profits to a special lottery education fund.Thursday night's Senate bill only sets aside a third of the gaming revenue for education. Lawmakers are on spring break next week. "We look forward to, over spring break, receiving copies of the bills to conduct a very deliberate review of the legislation passed Thursday evening so we can make a decision on how we move forward," House Sponsor Chris Blackshear said. If the House does not rubber stamp all of the Senate's changes, members from both houses must try to iron out the differences in a conference committee. Even if the plan passes both Houses and the governor signs it, voters will have the ultimate say in the fall.
MONTGOMERY, Ala. —
The Alabama House’s comprehensive gambling bill, which included a lottery, 10 casinos and sports betting, blew through the House in a week.
The Senate version, which took an extra three weeks to barely secure enough votes, passed Thursday night with several changes.
First off, here's what survived the Senate's tweaks.
Both bills created a nine-member gaming commission and a gaming enforcement division to shut down unauthorized gaming sites across the state.
It also establishes a state-wide lottery, producing up to $379 million in state revenue.
Each also authorizes Gov. Kay Ivey to enter into a compact with the Poarch Creek Indians to allow gaming expansion at its three locations.
Now, the key differences.
The Senate bill establishes $5 million licenses for seven pari-mutuel gaming venues, versus full casinos approved in the House legislation.
There is also no sports betting component in the Senate bill like there was in the House.
The House dedicated all of the lottery profits to a special lottery education fund.
Thursday night's Senate bill only sets aside a third of the gaming revenue for education.
Lawmakers are on spring break next week.
"We look forward to, over spring break, receiving copies of the bills to conduct a very deliberate review of the legislation passed Thursday evening so we can make a decision on how we move forward," House Sponsor Chris Blackshear said.
If the House does not rubber stamp all of the Senate's changes, members from both houses must try to iron out the differences in a conference committee.
Even if the plan passes both Houses and the governor signs it, voters will have the ultimate say in the fall.
