Gambling package suddenly emerges, then stalls in Alabama Senate

The Alabama House voted overwhelmingly for the measure. But in the Senate, a procedural rule may have prevented its defeat.

By: Jemma Stephenson and Alander Rocha - April 30, 2024 9:00 pm

At the Alabama State House of Representatives plenary session held on April 30, 2024 at the Alabama State Congress Hall in Alabama State Council, Chairman of the House of Representatives, Joe Robbone, said to be Chairman of the House of Representatives Joe Robbone (right). (Brian Riman/ Alabama Reflector)

The constitutional amendment to recognize a specific form of gambling and lottery in Alabama was passed in the House of Representatives on Tuesday, but was stuck in the Senate due to voting and unclear procedures.

The lower house has approved the HB151 conference committee report, a constitutional amendment proposal to recognize lottery and restricted gaming, with 72 votes. The HB152, a bill that tax and regulates gambling, was passed 70 to 29, and one abuse was issued.

However, the Senate subsequently voted for HB151 for 20 to 15 and was less than one vote for thre e-quarters needed to approve the constitutional amendment. Although it seemed that the bill was abolished, r e-voting was posted and the meeting of the meeting committee was postponed.

Senior Secretary Pat Harris told reporters that a majority vote was needed to pass the report from the meeting committee. However, since the HB151 is a constitutional amendment, a second voting is required, and at least 21 votes are required.

He said that the Senate, 20 to 15, met the requirements to accept the committee report, but posted the second vote to approve as a constitutional amendment.

Now, this memo will be taken out of the trash at a later date and may still be alive.

Harris said that during the 128th session, a report on the Constitutional Council had been voted twice.

Greg Red Senior Chairman (Republican, Jasper Selection) said this was a "test voting."

"We voted." I voted. The bill was passed, and what will happen in the future. "

Sudden breakthrough

The voting took place a few hours a few weeks after the Congress Committee solved a deadlock in the Arabama State House of Representatives for several weeks.

"It will be possible that Alabama State Educational Lottery will exist only on paper," said the submit of the bill, Representative Chris Blackshire (Selection of Smith Station), stated in the meeting committee on Tuesday afternoon. 。 "She can also participate in the lottery of multiple states. Megamilions and power balls, and they can also electronic gambling in seven places to be passed." Mr.

The Democratic Party of both houses supported the bill, but the Republican opposition opposed.

This package connects lotteries to educational funds, allows up to seven types of casinos with slot machines and other "electronic game equipment", and manages casinos in Atomora, Montgomery, and Vetuconke. It is a matter of ordering Governor Kei to sign a contract with the recognized Creek Indian Poak Band.

The proposal does not detain a sporting fee, which was part of the package passed in the House of Representatives in Adept in February. In March, the Senate failed to propose a lottery and contracts, and in effect to a few weeks of confrontation between the two houses.

The compromise resumed the words of the constitution that the legislative council would allow the lottery prize to the educational program. He also acknowledges that the profits obtained from the gambling business will be turned to other programs from other financial resources.

On February 8, 2024, Senator Greg Albritton, a member of the Alabama State Senate (Atmore election), in Mongomary, Alabama. (Brian Riman/ Alabama Reflector)

Senator Greg Albritton, a member of the Senate, Senator Greg Albritton (out of the selection of Atmore), is a legitimate that has been integrated into a bill as a commitment share, including prescriptions resembling Medicade. I told the member. The use of funds was changed halfway. The Adeptic Democratic Party claimed that the cooperation was extremely fundamental to the February bill approval, but to link the wording of the expansion program.

Later, Albritton was approved at the parliament, but in fact, assistance to psychiatric care was approved in coordination with guidance principles.

Alabama's constitution prohibits lottery and gambling. District Revision has acknowledged some kind of gambling, but the Alabama Supreme Court has adopted these corrections in narrow values ​​for the past 15 years. This bill delays district correction and prohibits the adoption of new corrections.

Albritton told the reporters that the profit would increase about 50 %, according to the latest estimates, at the committee meeting. The Senate version adopted by the March committee is $ 350 billion, contrasting the House of Representatives $ 1. 2 billion.

"What does that mean? -Abriiton asked a question." I haven't taken into account, but I'm probably planned $ 400 million. In fact, we expect $ 6. 5 million. I think.

Albritton has also declared that the contract is not considered a guarantee. On Tuesday, Poak's official tribe denied the statement and denied it.

If the Senate approves these measures, a vote will be made on August 20 for a constitutional revision.

Strong House support

On February 15, 2024, Vice Chair Laura Hall (Democratic Party Canteville) asks a question on a discussion on the preliminary gambling bill at the Adept room, Alabama. The Adept Congress has confirmed the constitutional lottery in Alabama to allow gambling in casinos and sports tariffs. (Brian Riman/ Alabama Reflector)

BLACKSHIRE said on Tuesday at the meeting of the meeting committee, in fact, the space for electric gambling is 7 space of the Senate bill: Green, Jefferson, Meikon, Mobail; and Bing o-Space Near Green, HOUSTON, Londs. Licensei is required to investigate the claim rate, and the tax for it is 20-28 %, as in the Senate proposal.

The bill applies the Senate's words to the Gambling Criminal Law Committee.

In Adept, almost all supporters claiming to approve the bill tried to prove the excellent qualities that passed the bill.

Representative Laura Hall (Hanzville election) asked Blackshire. "This bill is the best product in front of us, the best chance to trust, and in fact we are an unpleasant problem, but we say" " I have the opportunity to say that you will not be able to see it unless you give a vote, you will give many important resources for our colleagues. "

Blackshire said the compromise from the meeting committee was "the best legislative bill that can be advanced to give people a voting opportunity."

Vic e-chairman Chip Brown, selected by Holing Island, also made a compromise to give a helping boat.

"I take into account that this process has been going on for more than a year, that is, this is not actually randomly randomly collected," he says. Ta.

Alabama's last lottery was held in 1999. Surrounded by brown, mobile, actually surrounded by Mississippi, and living near Florida means that people are moving to these states to buy lotteries. 。

"Mississippi provides funds to their programs. Florida also provides funding. We also provide funds in Georgia. We also provide funds in Tennessee. We are their children. Brown is paying for walking and going to school, "said Brown.

Countants along the coast have expressed opposition to the casino in their constituencies, and Matt Simpson (Republican Party, Daphne selected) whether this bill enables a casino in the Baldwin area. I asked Blackshire. Blackshire replied that it was not possible in the form of a bill.

According to Blackshire's sentence, the bill cannot move the casino to another location in the state, and issuing additional licenses requires a constitutional amendment.

Simpson said that people wanted the beach to become the next Atlantic City.

"You can't have a casino on the beach. OWA has no casino, and Baldwin County has no casino," says Simpson.

Ontario's election member Tilman (Democratic Party, Birmingham Selection) said that he had the opportunity to improve the state education.

"It's a chance to improve Alabama's education. This is the hometown of ethnic, which should be the most important thing for all of us who provide people here," he said.

Barbara Boyd Representative (Democratic Party, Aniston elected) said this was not a problem of Republican or the Democratic Party, but a future issue.

"This gives the inferior people to educate the inferior people."

On February 15, 2024, he listened to negotiating gambling bills in Alabama in Alabama, Alabama (Ozak selection). The House of Representatives established a local government lottery and approved a constitutional amendment to allow casino gambling and sports betting. (Brian Riman/ Alabama Reflector)

Representative Steve Klaus (Ozak selection), who submitted a lottery bill before the House of Representatives, said this difficult problem was "Iban Road" for many years. "In fact, the whole problem is very difficult, so you need a complete bill similar to this bill that involves lottery and gaming committees.

Arnold Mooney Vice Mooney Vice Chairman Springs opposed a compromise, saying that gambling was a public health problem. He quoted the editorial of the social health magazine "Lancet" magazine, stating that there was little research on gambling, but that regulations should be stopped to suppress potential harm.

"I directly believe that by restricting gambling, especially advertising and advertising sponsors, there is an obligation to protect the welfare and happiness of children, children who have not reached the age of adults, and their families.

Senate opposition

Sen. Dan Roberts, R-Mountain Brook, walks across the Alabama Senate chamber at the Alabama State Capitol in Montgomery, Alabama, April 16, 2024. (Brian Lyman/The Alabama Reflector)

Senators opposed to the bill were more adamant.

Sen. Dan Roberts, R-Mountain Brook, said he will continue to oppose the gambling bill, saying it will exploit people.

I don't see Alabama being better off in 10 or 20 years as a result of this constitutional amendment.

Albritton, who worked on the bill in the Senate, said there is a misunderstanding of what is going on. These bills are not meant to encourage gambling, but rather to try to control it.

But Albritton ultimately voted against it. He said, "The bills passed in areas I can't influence, so that gave me the breathing room I needed to vote in favor."

Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, R-Greensboro, said the Senate told the House that it would not vote on a new gambling bill after 2021 unless one was introduced by the House. He said the House handed them a bill, but they ripped it to shreds.

"This is not a perfect bill. But I want to give the people of Alabama the right to vote."

Singleton and Albritton said they have worked with and against each other over the years on various gambling laws.

"We're at a crossroads right now that we've never been at before," Singleton said.

Sen. Shea Shelnutt, R-Trussville, said he wanted to follow existing laws. Albritton asked if he wanted law enforcement to regulate the gambling industry.

"Law enforcement already has the ability to do that, but they choose not to," Shelnutt said.

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Updated with Senate votes and comments at 12:05 p. m.