On Tuesday, what was perceived to be a "test vote" on a gambling constitutional amendment (CA) on gambling failed in the Alabama Senate by one vote.
The body voted 20-15 for an August special election ballot that would have included a vote to remove language prohibiting gaming, which fell short of the required 21 votes.
Among the pivotal "no" votes which were "yes" on a previous measure were State Sens. Greg Albritton (R-Atmore), Lance Bell (R-Pell City) and Chris Elliott (R-Josephine).
Albritton, a member of the conference committee empaneled to resolve differences between the House of Representatives and Senate, had voted for the legislation in the conference committee efforts earlier in the day.
In an interview that aired on Friday's Alabama Public Television's "Capitol Journal," the Escambia County Republican said that it came down to three specifics that led to his "no" vote.
"Three particular aspects of the conference report that came out were just unpalatable for me to stand in support of it," Albritton said. "First off, this bill did not include all gambling that's going on in Alabama. The significant part I'm talking about there is sports gaming. Sports gaming is all over the place. It's on the phone. It's on TV. It's on the radio. You hear the odds online when you check the plays. It has the odds listed. [It is] gaming that is growing, is intensifying, and that's not in this bill at all. It'll be a Wild West in Alabama. Alabama has the largest sports gaming in the nation, and we simply chose not to deal with it. That was difficult enough for me to deal with."
"The other is online gaming, whether it be poker or whatever other type is available on phone and online," he continued. "That is not dealt with in the bill either. So we had two significant growing parts of this industry that was left completely unregulated in this bill, and if we were going to do it, we'd have to have to do this whole thing over again with another CA. So those two things were difficult."
Albritton added, "And then the third part had to deal with my constituents, [the Poach Creek Indians (PCI)]. In all previous excursions down this path, there was always the attempt to enter into a compact with PCI and would provide them another site, not a reservation site, but an actual site that's taxed and dealt with as the normal industry would with any other in Alabama. That was cut out. That was just eliminated — not only that, but it was eliminated from the Governor to be even able to negotiate anything with PCI in that regard. They were limited in the things that they could do. So those things simply made it unpalatable."
Jeff Poor is the editor in chief of 1819 News and host of "The Jeff Poor Show," heard Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-noon on Mobile's FM Talk 106.5. To connect or comment, email jeff.poor@1819News.com or follow him on Twitter @jeff_poor.
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