With Kentucky awash in $43 billion in pension debt, candidate for governor and current Attorney General Andy Beshear is suggesting innovative solutions such as legalizing casinos and recreational pot and taxing them.
Other state officials have tried and failed several times to persuade the voters to amend the Bluegrass State’s constitution to legalize casino gaming.
Although incumbent Governor Matt Bevin calls legalizing casino gaming a “sucker’s bet,” Rep. Adam Koenig, chairman of the House Licensing, Occupations and Administrative Regulations committee, has introduced a casino bill. He argues that the state’s racetracks, which have historical horse racing machines, “gives us a good argument that we already have casinos.”
But it can’t happen unless it’s a bipartisan effort, he told the Courier Journal. There is some question whether a constitutional amendment is required, or simply an act of the legislature. An amendment would require a supermajority of each chamber, or 60 percent. It wouldn’t be voted on until the 2020 election.
Senator Morgan McGarvey told the Journal that any attempt to pass such a bill as a simple bill would be challenged in court. “That’s why I prefer passing a constitutional amendment. I still support it. We’re losing money now that’s now going to improve Indiana’s schools … But it didn’t get enough votes this year and I don’t see that changing next year.”
Senate Majority Leader Damon Thayer supports sports book, putting it in the same category as horseracing, which is as Kentucky as bourbon. He prefers that to actual casinos.
