Suddenly, Slots Don’t Need Amendment
After preaching "let the people decide" throughout this past Kentucky General Assembly session, gambling proponents are now talking about passing legislation to allow expanded gambling without a constitutional amendment. Rep. Tom Burch, a Louisville Democrat who regularly puts forth gambling expansion legislation, says he will file a bill in January's legislative session to authorize up to 18,000 slot machines in the state. Burch's announcement is just the latest of the political moves on behalf of big gambling. Gov. Steve Beshear is currently on a listening tour around the state during which he continues to tout his support for bringing casinos to the state. Meanwhile, Rep. Greg Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg, who has suggested bringing in slot machines on a "trial" basis, is using the failure of the House to pass a casino bill during the last session as part of his campaign to replace Rep. Jody Richards, D-Bowling Green, as House speaker.
Although they know that any attempt to expand gambling without a constitutional amendment will send the issue into the courts, the gambling politicans' calculus on these latest proposals seems to be based on the fact that the current bills do not have to passed by the General Assembly with a three-fifths super majority as constitutional amendments do. After the governor failed to wrangle the needed votes to get the bill out of the House this spring, the strategy seems to be to adjust the math by taking a route that requires fewer votes.
Citizens concerned about the devastating impact that expanding gambling will have on families and our state's economy will need be especially vigilant come January.
Here's the story about Burch's proposal from the Louisville Courier-Journal:
LOUISVILLE - Rep. Tom Burch said yesterday he will file a bill for next year's legislature to allow up to 18,000 slot machines across the state, including at eight licensed racetracks.
The Buechel Democrat, who in previous years filed bills for video lottery terminals at tracks, said his proposal would not seek to amend Kentucky's constitution.
If it had, the earliest it could be submitted to voters for ratification would be November 2010. Without an amendment, the proposal wouldn't need a statewide vote and could be decided next year by legislators and Gov. Steve Beshear.
Under Burch's proposal, any county could have slot machines if its voters approved it -- including those with racetracks. Counties with racetracks also could have some slot machines off-track.
One third of the slot machines -- 6,000 -- could be available to racetracks, with a minimum of 500 at each and more for some on a pro-rated basis determined by the number of live racing dates. For instance, Kentucky Downs in Franklin, Ky., with six days of live racing could have 500, while Churchill Downs in Louisville with 78 days could have 1,080.
Click here to read the full story.
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