The Senate Tourism and Marketing Committee quickly voted to move those bills out of committee Tuesday afternoon. However, the bills face an uncertain future in an Alabama Legislature divided over gambling. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Steve Clouse will reintroduce a bill to get the state’s settlement funds up front by doing a bond issue and use the proceeds to pay off state debts and to build roads and bridges in coastal road Alabama.
Advertisement
However, according to Marsh, neither proposal has the needed 21 votes to pass.
“We’ve got a million people on Medicaid and most of those are children”, Bentley said.
“Alabama is a proud pro-military state, and we appreciate the sacrifice of our courageous service men and women, and we owe it to them to ensure they are receiving the help they need in a timely manner”, Governor Bentley said.
Gov. Robert Bentley brought lawmakers into special session to consider a lottery as a way to fund the state’s Medicaid program.
Bentley called a lottery the “only option that we have left” to get additional funds for the state’s Medicaid program. A rival bill would also allow electronic lottery terminals – which resemble slot machines or video poker games- at four state dog tracks. The bill would send most of the money to the general fund, but it would earmark $100 million for education.
“Despite what Gov. Bentley says, a lottery is not a permanent solution”, said State Auditor Jim Zeigler.
“My constituents asked me for the right to vote. I think there is a chance that we won’t”, said Sen.
Alabama is one of six states, along with Mississippi, Utah, Alaska, Hawaii, and Nevada, without a state lottery. Don Siegelman proposed a lottery in 1999.
In order to be placed on the November ballot, lawmakers must pass the amendment proposal by August 24. Republicans are split on the idea of legalized gambling.
Marsh says he is ready to debate all day long.
“The single biggest issue is there is no ideal lottery bill that everyone can agree upon all the elements”, said Sen. OR markets its video lottery machines as “Vegas-style games”. McClendon’s bill includes electronic lottery machines, which would be allowed at select locations across the state.
The floor vote comes a day after gambling opponents and supporters squared off in a public hearing.
Gambling opponent Joe Godfrey said lotteries and casinos prey upon a state’s poor citizens’ hopes of striking it rich. I believe the lottery is, at best, a band aid on the state’s budgetary problems and will not provide the kind of long-term solution we need. One would authorize a lottery.
Advertisement
The governor said he was “reasonably optimistic” ahead of the session’s start, but some lawmakers were less so.
