Louisiana casino bill, delayed
The bill that would allow floating casinos to move to land has been delayed by several state lawmakers.
US.- The bill that would allow Louisiana’s 15 floating casinos to operate on land has been delayed after a group of Senators voiced their opposition. Lawmakers from the Black Caucus are posting a hurdle to the bill as they seem to be trying to negotiate with other Senators to get them to vote for another measure (which was recently voted down) that would raise Lousiana’s minimum wage.
“Sometimes you have to stop and recalibrate to get people to refocus on what’s fair and what truly makes our democracy work, give and take,” said state Sen. Troy Carter, adding: “It’s an attack on the indifference on the significance of providing a living wage for Louisianans.”
The Senate was expected the vote on Bill 316 on Wednesday, but Sen. Ronnie Johns pulled it back after hearing about the opposition, which makes it short of the minimum 20 votes needed to pass it to the House.
Mississippi currently allows riverboats to conduct gaming within 800 feet of the coast but may soon stretch it out to 1,200 feet. That way, Johns’ bill would enable Louisiana’s riverboats to be larger than the ones in Mississippi and bring in more revenue. However, it will all have to wait for now, at least until Bill 316 gains the minimum 20 votes back.
