Kansas lawmakers are again delaying the introduction of a state-run gambling expansion bill that includes casinos in Kansas City, Kansas.
Senate leaders said last week they would use the weekend to address the inflection point of the plan. They are also working to secure the 21 votes needed to get the bill through.
Expanding gambling is by no means a surefire option in Kansas. While bills to expand slot machines and casinos are always on the table, they are only thwarted by anti-gambling lawmakers and rival gambling groups trying to push their specific interests.
With lawmakers ordered by the court to increase student aid from $400 million to $500 million this year, the pressure to pass escalation gambling has come back. The same goes for the problem.
"If we don't get a game, we've got to make money somewhere," said Republican Senator Steve Morris of Hugo-Ton. "I'm cautiously optimistic."
Morris said he hoped the gambling bill could be introduced this week.
One hurdle now is whether or not the gambling proposal should include a ban on lawmakers and their families from making money from the deal. Senate leaders say it is the only way to ensure there are no conflicts of interest among lawmakers.
Senator Jim Barone, a Frontenac Democrat and longtime supporter of extended gambling, is fighting this provision. He also wants to allow Sumner County in south-central Kansas to build a casino. Mr. Barone's son is a lobbyist who is working on behalf of Sumner County's efforts to build a casino.
Mr. Barone denied he had any conflicts of interest, saying it was unfair to rule out lawmakers and their families making money from gambling when other legislation had few similar provisions. He said farmers in the legislature routinely work for their own interests, as do lawmakers who work as teachers, lawyers or corporate executives.
"What is good for the goose is good for the gander," he said. "This is an economic activity that benefits everyone. How can people who kneel at the altar of entrepreneurship tell people what they can and can't do?"
Barone's son Kevin Barone declined to comment for this article.
Lawmakers who support this provision say they want to ensure that there is no corruption or conflict of interest in all state gambling. Opponents of extended gambling often raise the specter of corruption as the reason for anti-gambling voting.
"The concern is that interest in the game could affect lawmakers," Morris said, "and making this bill as strict as possible is just another safeguard."
Senate leaders have been saying for weeks that they would not introduce the bill if they did not get 21 votes. In addition, the bill has been delayed every week. Even if the gambling proposal passes the Senate, it faces another tough battle in the House of Representatives, where lawmakers face re-election. Some lawmakers will be pressured to support gambling for regional economic development, while others will be pressured to vote against it.
House Speaker Doug Mace, a Topeka Republican, said, "Some people welcome the debate, some people will vote against the gambling proposal," adding, "I say 50-50 and I can't predict which way to go."
According to the outline of the proposal, casinos will be built in Kansas City, Kansas, and Crawford or Cherokee counties, Kansas. Slot machines may be approved for tracks including Woodland in Kansas City, Wichita and Frontenak, and yet to be built in Dodge City. Voters in each district will have to approve the proposal. The casinos and slot machines will be owned by the state through the Kansas Lottery Commission. The proposed legislation includes a total of 7,000 slot machines for all tracks.
Wyandotte County spokesperson and lobbyist Don Denny said the county had been keeping a close eye on gambling negotiations for many years and plans were failing one after another. 파워볼사이트 추천
The problem to avoid is greed, he said.
"It was always a deadly bullet," he said. "Everyone wants something. Every year we get that much closer. Someday, it will happen."