Senate panel schedules gambling bill

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After discussing the issue during two lengthy workshops, the Senate Regulated Industries Committee is scheduled Jan. 9 to consider a controversial bill that would allow up to three resort casinos in Florida. Committee Chairman Dennis Jones, R-Seminole, said during a workshop early this month that he expected to bring up the bill (SB 710) for a vote in January. It is not clear, however, what will be in the bill when it goes before the committee. Sponsor Ellyn Bogdanoff, R-Fort Lauderdale, said she planned to make changes after hearing comments from committee members about issues such as tax rates and the treatment of pari-mutuel facilities. No amendments had been filed on the Senate website Friday. The House version of the bill (HB 487) has not been scheduled for a hearing.

Via The News Service of Florida.

Peter Schorsch is the President of Extensive Enterprises and is the publisher of some of Florida’s most influential new media websites, including SaintPetersBlog.com, FloridaPolitics.com, ContextFlorida.com, and Sunburn, the morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics. SaintPetersBlog has for three years running been ranked by the Washington Post as the best state-based blog in Florida. In addition to his publishing efforts, Peter is a political consultant to several of the state’s largest governmental affairs and public relations firms. Peter lives in St. Petersburg with his wife, Michelle, and their daughter, Ella.