The public hearing on the Alabama lottery/gambling bill is underway, and it appears everyone who signed up is an opponent, though their reasons for opposing the gambling legislation vary from speaker to speaker. #alpolitics
Joe Godfrey from ALCAP, speaking now, is opposed to gambling generally. But there are representatives from the Greene County bingo parlors (not GreeneTrack) saying this bill would pick winners and losers. (The bill would likely shut those parlors down.) #alpolitics
Now former Alabama Gov. Jim Folsom is speaking against the bill, on behalf of the Greene County parlors. We've seen him work for them in the past. "All they want to do is exist, continue to do what they're doing. They're not asking for special treatment." #alpolitics
Mayor of a Greene County area says the bill (which would repeal the local constitutional amendment allowing local bingo) would hurt the local economy and public infrastructure. Says bingo is a key revenue stream. #alpolitics
Rep. Kelvin Lawrence, D-Hayneville, speaking against the bill because it could shut down a bingo parlor in Lowndes County and limit machines at the other. If you can't get House Democrats on board with a gambling bill, you're going to have difficulties passing it. #alpolitics
Gambling bills are one of the very few issues where you will see ALCAP, the Alabama Policy Institute, House Democrats and Greene County bingo parlors all on the same side. #alpolitics
Sen. Greg Albritton, R-Atmore, the sponsor of the legislation, is up saying it would not expand existing gambling in the state. If you count what it would shut down, that could be correct, but the bill explicitly says it would put a new casino in northeast Alabama. #alpolitics
From the bill as filed: #alpolitics 
Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston, is signaling the difficulties that gambling bills have faced in the Alabama House, and urging leaders there to bring the bill out for a vote with any changes they think are necessary. That led to chaos last year. montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/202… #alpolitics
The Senate committee has given approval to the constitutional amendment that would establish a lottery and gambling. Now we're on the enabling act. This would immediately establish a gambling commission which would get "emergency powers" on enforcing gambling. #alpolitics
Among other measures, that would allow the state gambling commission to demand criminal records of those employed at existing gambling operations, and "reasonable fees" from those operating, even those the CA anticipates closing within two years. #alpolitics
Albritton is being pretty blunt about these provisions, suggesting they could "look under the bed" of these facilities. #alpolitics
This enabling legislation, Albritton stresses, would be a statute, *not* a constitutional amendment that voters would decide in November. It would go into effect almost instantaneously, and the state gambling commission would go into existence, whatever the fate of the amendment.
Enabling legislation passes committee. The gambling package goes onto the Senate. If it gets to a floor vote there, it should pass. The question will be its fate in the House. #alpolitics
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