Legislative Updates Spring 2000

Alabama
Montgomery: Bills are pending in the House and Senate authorizing local referendums to legalize video poker machines at the Greenetrack and VictoryLand dog tracks in Greene and Macon Counties, respectively. Several lawmakers opposed to expanded gambling have promised a long filibuster if the legislation does come to a vote in the House or Senate.
By using a separate bill for each track— an approach known as "local bills" — the tracks are hopeful that legislators from other counties won't vote. Traditionally, legislators don't vote on bills that do not affect their own counties. The session ends May 15.

Source: The Tuscaloosa News: Philip Rawls

Florida
Tallahassee: State Rep. Mike Fasano introduced a measure in the House to reduce tax rates for racetrack owners and increase purses paid to dog owners and kennel operators. HB 725 would reduce live, simulcast and ITW [inter-track wagering] tax rates from 7.6 percent to 3.6 percent, and reduce the tax rate for simulcast races received from a location outside of the U.S. from 7.6 percent to 2 percent of the handle.
If passed into law, the measure would cost the state $29 million in revenue. State revenue from the pari-mutuel industry has declined dramatically since the mid-1990s.
In other legislative news, identical House and Senate bills proposing a tax exemption on racing greyhound feed [HB 0317 and SB 1188] are both in committee. Two original co-sponsors of the bill have withdrawn their support.

Source: Florida Legislature Online

Kansas
Topeka: A proposal to bring slot machines to the state's pari-mutuel facilities, including three dog tracks, was expected to be introduced in both houses of the Legislature in late March. Although the session opened in January, the introduction of the expanded gambling legislation, written by racetrack owners, has been delayed as track operators and dog and horse groups try to reach agreement.
Kathy Damron, a lobbyist representing The Woodlands dog track, said she was optimistic. This may be a good year for expanded gambling because of budget shortfalls, Damron said.

Source: The Kansas City Star: John L. Petterson

New Hampshire
Concord: The Senate Ways and Means Committee voted 4-1 March 21 against SB 405, a proposal to eliminate more than $300,000 in sweepstakes money that goes to the state's four racetracks each year. The bill's proponents said the state shouldn't be sending money to private businesses.
Earlier in March, the Pari-Mutuel Commission amended its policy to allow telephone wagering, a move which angered many lawmakers. "We had a big Fight over that in 1998 when they sent us legislation to authorize it, and we killed it,"said House Speaker Donna Sytek. The state's attorney general said the commission acted within its authority. Hinsdale, one of the state's three dog tracks, began telephone wagering in mid-March.

Source: Concord Monitor: Hilary Krieger