May 10

Wide-ranging gambling bill clears Ohio Senate

By Ann Sanner
Associated Press

Published: May 9, 2012 - 02:57 PM | Updated: May 9, 2012 - 05:40 PM

Wide-ranging gambling bill clears Ohio SenateMay 09,2012 09:40 PM GMTAnn SannerAssociated Press Copyright � 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,broadcast, rewritten or redistributed..

COLUMBUS: Just days ahead of the opening of Ohio's first casino, state senators on Wednesday passed a wide-ranging gambling bill that aims to sort out the regulations governing casinos, racetracks and new video lottery terminals.
The 29-3 bipartisan vote came after a Senate panel stripped a provision that would have expanded charity card rooms from one Ohio county to all 88 counties. Charities can book the rooms to run poker games and use the proceeds for their cause. Cuyahoga County in northeast Ohio is currently the only county with such a facility.

Senate committee chairman Bill Coley said the issue would be taken up in a separate bill.

The Ohio House, which passed an earlier version, rejected the Senate changes to the bill on Wednesday, sending it to a negotiating committee.
http://www.ohio.com/news/break-news/wide-ranging-gambling-bill-clears-ohio-senate-1.305911

Gambling bill goes to Ohio state panel for debate

Published: Thu, May 10, 2012 @ 12:10 a.m.

By Marc Kovac

news@vindy.com

COLUMBUS

With less than a week before the first of Ohio’s new casinos opens its doors, state lawmakers continue to haggle over legislation regulating legalized gambling in the state.

The Ohio Senate approved House Bill 386 on a vote of 29-3 Wednesday, but the Ohio House rejected changes made by the other chamber, sending the legislation to a conference committee to negotiate an agreeable alternative.

Rep. Lou Blessing, a Republican from Cincinnati and original sponsor of the legislation, said he wanted one or two more weeks to consider changes made by the Senate.

“I think ... we need some more time to take a look at this because it’s so complex, it’s overreaching,” Blessing said.
http://www.vindy.com/news/2012/may/10/gambling-bill-goes-to-panel-for-debate/

Ohio Senate to Vote on Gambling Bill as Early as Wednesday

By Julie Kent. Published on 05/09/2012 - 1:23pm

Cleveland Leader

The Ohio Senate could be voting on a gambling bill as early as today that would help bring order to the multiple types of gambling in the state, including casinos, racetrack slots parlors, and other kinds of gambling.

On Tuesday, the Senate Government Oversight and Reform Committee stripped from the gambling bill a controversial provision that would have permitted each of Ohio's 88 counties to designate a single privately run card room using professional dealers to run Texas Hold 'Em, poker, blackjack and other card tournaments for charities. Gov. John Kasich an House Speaker Bill Batchelder (R-Medina) both opposed that provision.
http://www.clevelandleader.com/node/18446

House Seats New Member, Rejects Senate Gambling Bill Changes

Hannah Report 5/9/12

Former state Treasurer Kevin Boyce became the newest member of House Wednesday, filling the seat formerly held by Rep. Carlton Weddington (D-Columbus.) Meanwhile, the chamber rejected Senate changes to a gaming bill passed earlier in the day in that chamber (see separate story.)

Rep. Louis Blessing (R-Cincinnati), the sponsor of HB386, said that the Senate made a number of changes to what the House did, and he felt there needed to be a conference committee to make sure everything is in order. He said the House needed more time to review the changes.

After session, House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina) told reporters that he believes the issues with the bill could be handled by the end of next week. He said he has been told that the bill does not need to be passed before the first casino opens next week. http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=189362

Ohio Voters Supportive of Drilling Tax, Split on Governor

Hannah Report 5/9/12

While Ohio voters are still split on Gov. John Kasich, giving him a negative 41 percent to 44 percent positive approval rating, they like his proposal to raise taxes on natural gas drilling in order to give Ohioans an income tax cut, a new Quinnipiac University poll said.

The poll, conducted among 1,069 registered voters from May 2-7, found voters backing the tax plan 60 percent to 32 percent.

Kasich proposed the tax plan as part of the Mid-Biennium Review, but the House quickly pulled the plan out of the legislation and said it will take it up as part of separate legislation later this year. (See The Hannah Report, 3/14/12, 3/16/12).

When asked about voters' support of the proposal, House Speaker William Batchelder (R-Medina) told reporters that he's not surprised voters support an income tax cut. But he also added, "obviously there are people who pay that tax other than drillers." He said property owners would also be hit with the tax. http://www.hannah.com/DesktopDefaultPublic.aspx?type=hns&id=189360