Louisiana Goes for It

In 1997, Louisiana became the first state to prohibit Internet gambling through legislation. Will it also become the first state to legalize?

Louisiana House Speaker Charlie DeWitt last week introduced a bill, HB 85, that would legalize pari-mutuel account wagering in which wagers are made "in person, by telephone, or by other electronic communication." The House Commerce Committee approved the bill with 12-3 vote.

The proposed law, which qualifies facilities located in a municipality with a population of 450,000 for account wagering licensing, would make Fair Grounds Race Course the sole eligible licensee.

The bill, presumably, would supercede R.S. 14:90.3, a bill that prohibits both betting and taking bets over the Internet in Louisiana. Internet wagering would not be a legal option in Louisiana under HB 85, of course, if federal legislation prohibiting pari-mutuel betting over the Internet is passed. As it stands now, Sen. Jon Kyl's federal prohibition bill leaves the decision in the hands of the state.

Rep. DeWitt says HB 85 could generate as much as $1 million in new tax revenue for Louisiana.

Policy makers were unavailable for comment at press time because they were on the floor, where the bill was reportedly being discussed.

Update: HB 85 passed in the House by a 22-13 vote and was received by the Senate March 30,2000.

Summary: Provides for "account wagering" at certain race tracks

History (Updated: 4/3/00)
03/30/00 - Received from the Senate with amendments.
03/30/00 - Read by title and finally passed as amended 22 yeas and 13 nays; title read and adopted and bill ordered to the House. Motion to reconsider tabled.
03/28/00 - Reported without Legislative Bureau amendments, read by title and passed to a third reading.
03/28/00 - Rules suspended, reported with amendments. Rules suspended, committee amendments read and adopted. Read by title and referred to the Legislative Bureau.
03/23/00 - Received in the Senate. Rules suspended read first and second time by title and referred to the committee on COMMERCE.
03/22/00 - Read third time by title, amended, roll called on final passage, yeas 73, nays 26. Finally passed, title adopted, ordered to the Senate.
03/21/00 - Read by title, amended, ordered engrossed, passed to 3rd reading - regular calendar.
03/21/00 - Rules suspended.
03/21/00 - Reported with amendments (12-4) (Regular)
03/19/00 - Read by title, rules suspended, under the rules, referred to the Committee on COMMERCE.
03/17/00 - Under the rules, provisionally referred to the Committee on COMMERCE.
03/17/00 - Prefiled.

Digest HB85 Original (First version)
Digest HB85 Engrossed (Second version)
HB85 Original (First version)
HB85 Engrossed (Second version)
House Committee Amendments
House Floor Amendment, B4 - DEWITT, Proposed
House Floor Amendment, B5 - MORRELL, Proposed
Senate Committee Amendment