Massachusetts: 154 Amendments

Massachusetts House members propose changes to casino bill, debate to begin next week
By Dan Ring, The Republican

Members of the state House of Representatives on Friday filed 154 proposed changes to a casino bill including measures to legalize Internet poker and change the minimum investment required for a casino [slot barn].

House members are set to debate a bill on Wednesday and possibly Thursday that calls for constructing three casinos in three regions of the state, including one for anywhere in the four counties of Western Massachusetts. The deadline for filing amendments was 3 p.m..

Rep. Daniel Winslow, a Norfolk Republican, filed an amendment that he said seeks to make Massachusetts the first state to legalize Internet poker.

Winslow's amendment would create five licenses for Internet poker for companies with operations in Massachusetts. Winslow said he supports the casino bill but wants to add Internet poker to the mix.

Entrepreneurs in the college-rich Pioneer Valley would benefit from Internet poker, he said. "It's high-tech," he said outside the House clerk's office. "You don't need the bricks and mortar. You need smarts."

Winslow, who grew up in Amherst, filed an amendment that would ban elected, politically appointed and political party officials from working for a casino or obtaining a license for a casino in the state until at least two years after leaving office. Winslow said the amendment seeks to ensure public trust and confidence in the process.

Rep. Michael F. Kane, a Holyoke Democrat who supports a casino for his city, filed an amendment that seeks to require a minimum investment of $400 million to $600 million per casino. The bill currently sets $500 million as a minimum investment. [For $500 million, you get a Slot Barn.]

Kane said he wants to give more flexibility to a gambling commission that would oversee and license casinos. "The experts are in the gaming commission," he said. "Allow them to make that decision."

Rep. Nicholas A. Boldyga, a Southwick Republican, filed an amendment that seeks to guarantee that at least a majority of jobs at a casino go to legal Massachusetts residents.

"This is supposed to create jobs," he said of casinos. "Nowhere does the bill say that these jobs should go to legal Massachusetts residents."

Casino opponents, including church leaders, are planning a press conference at the Statehouse on Tuesday.

Thomas Larkin , of Bedford, president of United to Stop Slots in Massachusetts, said opponents want to appeal to Gov. Deval Patrick and his values on social justice. Larkin said casinos will get most of their revenues by exploiting lower- and middle-income people.

"We want to express that there is a long, deep rooted, still very active opposition to bringing casinos and slot machines to Massachusetts," Larkin said. "I think the whole thing is just a bad, bad idea."