N.C. Senate Moves Fast on Video Poker Ban
A key Senate committee voted unanimously Wednesday to ban video poker, reopening an old rift with House Speaker Jim Black on the second day of this year's General Assembly session. "Why else would you purposely eliminate, said Black, a Matthews Democrat, reiterating his contention that the video poker industry supports several thousand jobs in North Carolina. The bill goes to the Senate floor today, signaling the Democrat-led Senate's eagerness to prohibit the games after passing a ban four times since 2000 and watching it die in the House without a vote.
As speaker, Black determines whether legislation makes it to the floor for a vote. The swift action by senators from both parties also shows they recognize the pressure on Black from ongoing federal and state investigations. Recent State Board of Elections hearings illuminated potentially illegal campaign contributions from video poker operators to Black, though no evidence suggested Black was aware of the possible violations. "There's been a lot of attention paid to (video poker)," said Sen. Tony Rand, a Fayetteville Democrat and Rules Committee chairman, "and we thought this was a good time for it. "
May 16, 2006
Posted By Skip Davis
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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