Florida Legislature Quietly Gambles on Florida's Future

Did you know your legislators quietly passed a major expansion of gambling in Florida, including Jacksonville? They did.

Below are descriptions of the two bills that will impact Northeast Florida and how House members of the Duval delegation voted. Both measures passed the Senate and will go into effect on 7/1/07 unless vetoed by Governor Crist. However, they passed by overwhelming majorities, enough to overturn a veto.

Note that some of the most "conservative" Republican House members, including several Baptists, voted "Yes."

CS/CS/SB 500 - Instant Bingo [EPCC] The Senate passed it on 5-1-07 by a vote of 29 to 6; individual Senators' votes are not available.

GENERAL BILL by General Government Appropriations and Regulated Industries and Saunders
Instant Bingo [EPCC]: cites act as "Evelyn Wiesman-Price Act"; defines terms "deal", "flare" & "instant bingo"; exempts instant bingo from specified prohibitions; provides requirements for operation of instant bingo games & use of proceeds & prize payout; provides requirements for manufacture & sale of instant bingo tickets; provides penalties, etc. Amends 849.0931; reenacts 718.114, 723.079(8).

CS/CS/CS/SB 752 - Cardrooms [EPCC] The Senate approved it on 4/27/07.
GENERAL BILL by General Government Appropriations and Finance and Tax and Regulated Industries and Geller and Fasano
Cardrooms [EPCC]: (THIS BILL COMBINES CS/CS/S752 & CS/S1192) defines term "tournament"; revises license fees; revises hours of operation; authorizes award of certain prizes; revises betting limits; authorizes tournaments; provides tournament requirements; authorizes additional positions. Amends 849.086.
Effective Date: 07/01/2007

Duval County Delegation's Votes on both bills:
NO: Aaron Bean
YES: Jennifer Carroll, Terry Fields, Audrey Gibson, Mark Mahon, Stan Jordan, Dick Kravitz
ABSENT, NO VOTE RECORDED: Don Davis