The Legislature: Table Games

The House of Delegates started the ball rolling for the racetrack table games bill with the public hearing hosted jointly by its Judiciary and Finance committees. Each panel has been assigned to review House Bill 2718, starting with Judiciary.

With several dozen speakers addressing lawmakers, I tried to include as many of the representative groups as possible in The Associated Press' story: local officials (pro), families ravaged by gambling (con and pro, actually), anti-gambling activists (con), and racetrack workers, racing industry people and chamber of commerce types (all pro).

As I point out, supporters outnumbered foes among the speakers by more than 3:1. But I expect anti-gambling forces to show their strength during a rally next week. I also note that lawmakers heard many of these arguments _ and from a number of the same people, both pro and con _ during public hearings held for prior, failed incarnations of the bill.

Among others covering the hearing: The Register-Herald of Beckley starts off with the wife of a gambling addict (who also spoke a previous session's hearing); The Charleston Gazette focuses on the supporters' superior numbers; MetroNews gives a smattering of comments plus audio; W.Va. Media, meanwhile, has a story as well as video.