Not many hopes are pinned on the new legislative push, either, but there is some momentum nevertheless. This year is the third time a similar bill has got underway with SB 62 winning a convincing 25-8 vote in Senate on Tuesday.
But Senate has never been the issue. Previous attempts to push through were usually dealt a killing blow during a House vote, which is precisely what legislators have to figure out to be successful. The bill wants to see racetrack casinos in Kanawha, Ohio, Hancock and Jefferson counties have the legal right to explore satellite casinos farther out.
Of course, no country would be forced to host a satellite casino. Rather, the bill would create the processes in place to gauge public opinion on the matter.
The People Have the Final Word
So, if the bill was to pass, it would then see the state regulator collect applications. Once an application has been deemed as fit and meets certain regulatory standards, it would be put to a countywide vote.
“They would have to make an application and then it would have to go before voters in that county,” Senator Eric Nelson who sponsors the new legislative attempt said. Should the satellite casinos go the people’s go-ahead, they will be setting up video lottery terminals among other licensed gambling products that will ultimately add to the public tax.
Nelson is similarly confident that his bill is not just limited to driving revenue – it would mean jobs for locations that may be struggling economically and be the reason behind a new economic boon in some struggling places. The bill will now have to go through the House of Delegates before any further progress can be made at the present time.