MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) -- Alabama's dog tracks aren't going to push video gambling legislation in the upcoming special session of the Legislature. That battle will wait until February.
"There aren't going to be any bills for any tracks put in the special session," said Rick Heartsill, a spokesman for Alabama's four dog tracks.
The tracks' announcement came after Gov. Don Siegelman said Tuesday he would not include any gambling legislation in his proclamation for the special session, which is expected to start soon to address the state's unconstitutional franchise tax. Legislation included in the governor's proclamation can pass by a majority vote; other bills require a two-thirds vote.
Legislators who represent the tracks in Macon and Greene counties had begun advertising bills to introduce in the Legislature. But Sen. George Clay, D-Tuskegee, said there is not enough time to advertise them for four weeks, as required by state law, and then get them passed in a special session. Instead, the bills will be introduced in the Legislature's regular session starting Feb. 1.
The dog tracks, including those in Jefferson and Mobile counties, have tried for several years to pass legislation allowing them to add additional attractions to try to counteract declining attendance. So far, the Legislature has only been willing to approve simulcast races from other tracks.
VictoryLand in Macon County "employed 600 people at their peak. There are about 300 now," Clay said Wednesday.
In the spring, the tracks got the House to pass a bill allowing them to add skill-dependent games, such as video blackjack and poker, and to crack down on illegal games found in restaurants, bars and convenience stores. The Senate killed the bill 20-14.
In 2000, the tracks still want to push legislation aimed at illegal gambling, Heartsill said. But instead of having one general bill also covering video gambling, they will try to pass separate bills for each track to add the games -- a process known as passing a "local bill."
A "local bill" is often easier to pass than a comprehensive, statewide bill because usually only the legislators in the area affected by the local bill vote on it. Sometimes legislators break with tradition and vote on other areas' local bills, but Clay said he hopes that won't happen with the dog track legislation.
Please revisit this site January 2. We will restart our campaign to defeat casinos at dog tracks in the February 1, 2000 regular session. Please do not take it for granted that we will win again. It will not be easy to keep the bills from getting a simple majority (50% plus one vote).
Meanwhile, please return to the "Tell It Like It Is" main page and visit our next issue - funding K-12 with no tax increases.
This website will immediately switch focus to a citizen plan for K-12 education without tax increases. Siegelman has no Plan B. Here is "Plan Z."
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