While the 2010 General Assembly is certain to consider other bills to expand gambling in the state, Sen. Damon Thayer, R-Georgetown, has filed the bill gambling bill that deserves the most support and should be enacted.
Thayer is the sponsor of Senate Bill 21 which would create a new section of Kentucky Constitution “to permit the General Assembly to authorize by general law video lottery terminal in counties that have existing racing tacks upon voter approval in each of those counties.” The amendment would be on the November ballot.
During last summer’s special session, the Kentucky House of Representatives narrowly approved a bill sponsored by Speaker Greg Stumbo that would have allowed video slot machines at race tracks, but the bill died in the Senate without a vote.
Stumbo, a former attorney general, contends, believes Kentucky voters approved expanded gambling at race tracks when they approved the Kentucky lottery amendment more than 20 years ago and that another constitutional amendment is not necessary. As we have stated several times previously, we strongly disagree with Stumbo on this issue.
Stumbo has said unless he has assurance that it can be approved by the Senate, he has little interest in filing a bill in the 2010 General Assembly that would allow slot machines at tracks without voter approval of a constitutional amendment.
From our vantage point, the Republican-controlled Senate has spoken on this issue: The Senate will not approve any measure to expand gambling in the state that does not include voter approval of a constitutional amendment. Clearly if pro-gambling forces in the state — including Stumbo, Gov. Steve Beshear and the state horse-racing industry — hope to have their view prevail, their only option is to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. Thayer’s bill would do just that.
