The House and Senate pull the slots rope each on its side
The last three Maryland Assemblies were digesting the same old issue of slot machine legislation, which has been a baby of Gov. Robert Ehrlich for the past three years. It seems that the last year has not gone by traceless for slot machines. This year, the public benevolently indulged those gambling devices with much more supporting voices in respect to the previous year. In 2004, the pro-slot individuals stood on 52 percent, while in 2005 the numbers show rise of 6 percent and now stand on 56 percent. At some polls on the Eastern Shore the figures went up to 60 percent.
The House bill, which successfully passed last week, has now stepped onto the venue leading to Senate in order to be approved by the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee. The bill proposed by Senate would allow for 15,500 slot machines at seven sites, four at racetracks and three at non-track sites anywhere across the state. The House bill allows only for a humble number of 9,500 machines at four sites: one in Anne Arundel, Fredrick, Harford and Allegany counties. The licenses would be issued by the committee appointed by the governor.
However, the matter is yet unsettled with far too breaching details. The bill would make its way back to the House, where alternations would not likely to be accepted by the delegates. Provided that Michael Busch appoints a special commission to try to reach compliance, the legislation is destined to perish prematurely.
