Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker has made no secret of the fact that he would like the legislature to pass sports betting legislation before summer recess. However, this week he clarified that he wants lawmakers to get it right, even if it takes a while.
Baker said he was OK with House Speaker Robert DeLeo’s statement last week that no sports betting revenue would be included in the 2020 budget because he wants consensus on a bill first.
The governor proposed his own bill in January. House Ways and Means Chairman Aaron Michlewitz said his committee would take up Baker’s proposal later in the year. The governor argues that his bill would bring in about $35 million the first year that sports betting is offered.
Baker commented on the Speaker’s statement during a morning press session: “I’ve talked to a number of other states that are moving pretty quickly on this and I do think there’s benefit to getting in there before…the habits are in place, let’s put it that way,” he said, referring to illegal sports betting. “But I respect the fact that the speaker thinks this deserves a bigger conversation than just as part of the budget.”
The day before DeLeo had told reporters that he didn’t think it was so “easy” to write and pass a sports book bill.
