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Casino gambling bill gets another hearing
CONCORD — Proponents and opponents of expanded gambling will have one more chance to make their case before House lawmakers decide whether to approve two casinos in the state.
The House on Wednesday decided to wait at least another week to vote on House Bill 593, which would expand gambling in New Hampshire.
The main architect of the House gambling plan, Ways and Means Chairman Rep. Stephen Stepanek, said his committee will hold a public hearing on proposed changes to the plan before bringing the proposal to a vote.
House Bill 593 would allow the Lottery Commission to license two casinos in the state, one immediately and the other two years later.
Each license would cost $50 million and would allow the holder to install 5,000 slots machines and table games.
The bill would also have a $500,000 fee to apply for a license.
The state’s share of the proceeds — 35 percent of the slot machine revenue and 8 percent of the table games — would be used to lower business taxes.
Some members of the House have objected to the plan, believing it would give the license winners a monopoly, which would violate the state Constitution.
Others oppose the plan on moral grounds, saying it creates way more problems that will cost the state more than the additional revenue it would generate.
Jim Ruben, chairman of the Granite State Coalition Against Expanded Gambling, said the real reason the vote was delayed Wednesday was that the House leadership, which backs the plan, found “they were hopelessly underwater on the vote count and they wanted to avoid the embarrassment.”
He said his group will be there Monday to oppose the bill at the public hearing at 1 p.m.
He said he does not believe the additional public hearing will result in a better bill. “This bill remains and will remain hopelessly defective,” he said.
The House has never approved expanding gambling that includes video slots machines or casinos.
The Senate has passed expanded gambling measures over the years, but they have all died in the House.
The Senate is holding on to an expanded gambling plan from long-time advocate Sen. Lou D’Allesandro, D-Manchester, but has given no indication it wants to advance any plan this year.
Gov. John Lynch has said he will veto the measure if the bill makes it to his desk.
The House on Wednesday decided to wait at least another week to vote on House Bill 593, which would expand gambling in New Hampshire.
The main architect of the House gambling plan, Ways and Means Chairman Rep. Stephen Stepanek, said his committee will hold a public hearing on proposed changes to the plan before bringing the proposal to a vote.
House Bill 593 would allow the Lottery Commission to license two casinos in the state, one immediately and the other two years later.
Each license would cost $50 million and would allow the holder to install 5,000 slots machines and table games.
The bill would also have a $500,000 fee to apply for a license.
The state’s share of the proceeds — 35 percent of the slot machine revenue and 8 percent of the table games — would be used to lower business taxes.
Some members of the House have objected to the plan, believing it would give the license winners a monopoly, which would violate the state Constitution.
Others oppose the plan on moral grounds, saying it creates way more problems that will cost the state more than the additional revenue it would generate.
Jim Ruben, chairman of the Granite State Coalition Against Expanded Gambling, said the real reason the vote was delayed Wednesday was that the House leadership, which backs the plan, found “they were hopelessly underwater on the vote count and they wanted to avoid the embarrassment.”
He said his group will be there Monday to oppose the bill at the public hearing at 1 p.m.
He said he does not believe the additional public hearing will result in a better bill. “This bill remains and will remain hopelessly defective,” he said.
The House has never approved expanding gambling that includes video slots machines or casinos.
The Senate has passed expanded gambling measures over the years, but they have all died in the House.
The Senate is holding on to an expanded gambling plan from long-time advocate Sen. Lou D’Allesandro, D-Manchester, but has given no indication it wants to advance any plan this year.
Gov. John Lynch has said he will veto the measure if the bill makes it to his desk.