The Legislature, Day 31 - Updated

* I spoke with House Finance Chairman Harry Keith White, D-Mingo, as The Associated Press previews the next hurdle facing the racetrack table games bill, now that it has cleared the House Judiciary Committee.

(UPDATE: The amended bill no longer earmarks revenues specifically for deputy, police and firefighter pensions. It instead devotes shares to all 55 counties and 204 municipalities statewide, with larger percentages for the tracks' hosts. But Huntington city officials and others trying to tackle local pension shortfalls remain pessimistic about getting help this session, as Bryan Chambers reports in the Herald-Dispatch.)

I also note that the tracks are not happy with the bigger bite the state would take, while gambling opponents will try again to kill the bill. MetroNews also takes a look ahead, while providing audio from two of the sides in this debate.

* The Legislature has sent Gov. Joe Manchin a bill that would raise the age at which potential jurors can be excused, as the AP's Tom Breen reports.

* Breen also marks the Senate's passage of the so-called Castle Doctrine bill addressing lethal self-defense, while noting that some original supporters are not pleased with the current version.

* The AP also reviews a bill that would create a state pension program for public EMS workers.

* The Charleston Daily Mail highlights legislation that would allow the permanent tracking of certain sex offenders with GPS technology, among other measures.

* In the latest Wrap-Up newsletter, there is also an interesting story about the black lawmakers who have served in the Legislature.

Written by Deputy Director Drew Ross of the office of Reference & Information, the article answers some of the questions I had pondered earlier on the topic.

* Public Broadcasting reports on a stream protection bill and a critic of the measure with an alleged conflict of interest (audio link).