National Summary

New Developments (updated 4/5/02)

The South Carolina House of Representatives passed legislation that would impose a statewide ban on gaming activity aboard cruise-to-nowhere boats. The measure faces key opposition from Senate President Pro Tem Glenn McConnell (R-Charleston), who instead supports the idea of granting counties and municipalities that do not want gaming boats in their jurisdictions the authority to pass local prohibitions.

South Carolina Sen. Dick Elliott (D-North Myrtle Beach) is drafting legislation to grant that authority to local jurisdictions.

The Indiana House and Senate passed different versions of a bill to allow casino vessels to remain permanently docked. However, negotiators from the two chambers were unable to reconcile the proposals before the end of this year’s regular legislative session.

In Maryland, a bill that would have allowed the operation of slot machines at four horse tracks in the state was voted down in committee last month.

A bill to allow slots at racetracks in Kentucky received committee approval in the state House of Representatives, clearing the way for a floor vote. However, the House leadership said the bill would come up for a vote only if they were certain it had enough votes to pass both chambers. They also wanted assurances that top Senate Republicans who opposed the bill would not prevent it from coming to a vote. That signal never came, so the bill was consigned to the House Appropriations and Revenue Committee, effectively killing it.

An Illinois bill would give gaming regulators there the authority to revoke gaming licenses that are not used for a period of 48 months or longer. And, in response to a complaint from Rosemont Mayor Donald Stephens that the state’s horse tracks stand to get an excessive amount of the revenue from a proposed casino in his city, Illinois state Rep. Angelo “Skip” Saviano (R-Elmwood Park) introduced legislation to reduce their take.