Manchin signs table games bill; foes ready to sue

Gov. Joe Manchin signed the table games bill this afternoon _ though one of the racetracks that stands to benefit after pursuing this legislation for years chose not to wait.

As The Associated Press reports, the governor approved the bill one day after Ohio County set a June 9 special election on the table games question.

As AP and the Wheeling newspapers relate, the county commission unanimously approved a petition seeking the Saturday election from the Wheeling track.

The Northern Panhandle's other track, Mountaineer Race Track & Gaming Resort, plans to follow Wheeling's lead. It says it will petition Hancock County's commission for an early June special election at its April 5 meeting.

The West Virginia Family Foundation still intends to sue over the legislation and its local option election provision. The Ohio County Commission's decision _ not the governor's signature _ provides the necessary cause of action, its lawyer and executive director tell AP.

Another gambling foe, the West Virginia Values Coalition, also plans to continue its fight in the racetrack counties, MetroNews reports (with audio).

Lawmakers timed the bill to take effect 90 days after its March 8 passage. Though Manchin signed it today, it becomes law June 6.

It can take several days after passage to prepare a bill in its final format and deliver it to the governor. The state constitution gives the governor five days, not including Sundays, to act on a bill once delivered during session.

Manchin received the bill March 15, while the Legislature was still in (extended) session, and so had until today to sign the bill, veto it or allow it to become law without his signature.

For bills delivered after a session ends, the governor has 15 days to act.

A 5-day deadline remains, however, for the budget bill and supplemental spending measures. As a result, Manchin has until Friday to act on the budget bill.