INDIANAPOLIS — A vote from the Indiana Senate appears imminent as a bill to bring slot machine gaming to Indiana horse racing tracks moves forward.
On Monday, the Senate tacked on two amendments to House Bill 1835. The bill would authorize slot machines at Hoosier Park in Anderson and Indiana Downs in Shelbyville, with the potential to create hundreds of jobs and inject millions of dollars into the state economy.
State Sen. Tim Lanane, D-District 25, said he expects a vote by the end of the week.
“We’re still working members,” Lanane said. “I don’t think it’s going to happen tomorrow, more likely Thursday. We’re still cautiously optimistic and we’re going to keep working.”
House Bill 1835 passed the House 54-39. Last week the Senate’s Tax and Fiscal Policy Committee moved the bill to the full Senate by a 9-3 vote with two costly amendments. One decreased the number of slot machines to 1,500 and the other increased the one-time licensing fee for each facility to $400 million.
Senate passage would send the bill to conference committee where members of the House and Senate would create a final form of the bill, which must pass both chambers.
State Sen. Luke Kenley, R-District 20, introduced amendment No. 7, which would channel the combined $800 million in licensing fees to the state general fund. Earlier talks suggested the $400 million licensing fee paid by each horse track would fund property tax relief or the Indiana Life Sciences Fund.
State Sen. Robert Jackman, R-District 42, brought forward amendment No. 10. It requires both tracks to host 140 to 160 days of live racing, 80 to 90 featuring standardbred horses and 60 to 70 featuring thoroughbreds. The amendment would also limit Hoosier Park and Indiana Downs to 12 races per day.
“We’re trying to raise the level of competition in the state of Indiana,” Jackman said. “Better competition means better purses and that means we need to limit the number of races.”
Also included in the amendment are nine provisions related to the Indiana Gaming Commission; most would bring the same level of oversight seen at riverboat casinos to so-called “racinos.”
“We’re trying to keep everything in the gaming industry on a level playing field,” Jackman said.
Seven other provisions address the Indiana Horse Racing Commission and the statewide horse industry. Each track would pay $250,000 per year into an integrity fund aimed at deterring illegal substances. Another $500,000 per track would bankroll a gambling addiction fund.
Local News
8:10 p.m. UPDATE: Slots vote imminent
Senate tacks on amendments
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