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Louisiana Supreme Court Takes Up Raising Legal Age27 November 2000NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana -- Nov. 27, 2000-- As reported by the Associated Press: "...The Louisiana Supreme Court, which previously reversed the rulings in the drinking age and DWI cases, on Tuesday will take up the question of whether 18-, 19- and 20-year-olds should be able to play video poker and the lottery. "State District Judge Preston Aucoin ruled in January that raising the lottery-video poker age from 18 to 21, which the Legislature ordered in 1998, violates the state Constitution's ban on age discrimination. "...At the heart of all three rulings has been the judge's contention that a provision in the state constitution prevents age discrimination against people over 18. "`They could vote, they could run for and get elected to public offices, they could own property, they could own businesses ... and be conscripted in the military service, sent to foreign shores, fight, bleed and die for their country,' Aucoin wrote in his ruling striking down the higher gambling age. "The judge also pointed out that adults under 21 can still place bets at horse-racing tracks or own outlets that sell lottery tickets and have video poker machines. "...The state contends the higher age for lottery and video poker is legally justified because young adults are more likely to develop gambling addictions than their older counterparts..." |