A bill to allow the state’s 15 licensed riverboats casinos to expand their gaming operations on to land and change the rules regarding gaming space has been sitting on the Senate floor for over two weeks, but a vote in the upper chamber could happen today. Senator Troy Carter says many senators are concerned about the numerous pieces of legislation that seek to expand gambling.
But the author of the bill, Lake Charles Senator, Ronnie Johns says requiring riverboats to only conduct gambling on water prohibits these facilities from making a substantial investment in their properties.
Black lawmakers in the Senate are also not happy that earlier in the session the upper chamber voted against a proposal to raise the minimum wage. Carter says instead of providing a living wage, many low income workers are forced to rely on casinos to provide for their families.
Carter says, "I'd much rather have working class people have an opportunity to earn a decent living rather than to wager and hope that they can win the jackpot."
Black legislators have also raised concerns that casinos fail to contract with enough minority-owned firms and they also believe there’s a lack of minorities in management at the gambling halls. Johns says he’s had good dialogue with concerned legislators.
John says, "I think that in the long run that the Senate will see the wisdom of what we're trying to do, and I feel good about our chances of passing this."