(Des Moines)– Iowa lawmakers are bracing for a contentious debate over whether or not gambling should be expanded in the state.
Many lawmakers, including State Senator David Johnson of Ocheyedan, say it’s an issue they’d rather not be saddled with, but admit it’s pretty much a given they’ll have to contend with it.
Johnson expects the issue to surface early on in the session, which is getting under way today (Mon.). He says there are some members of the House that are pushing hard to re-vamp the state’s gambling laws and expand the number of licenses.
In the Senate, Johnson says he and many of his colleages don’t think gambling will be as big of an issue.
None-the-less, Johnson says he still opposes any efforts to expand gambling. He says an independent study needs to be done on the effects of expanded gambling. Johnson says he’s concerned a gambling debate could bog down the legislature, which has many more pressing issues to deal with including funding for education, the budget, and so on.
On another note, Johnson says he’ll introduce a bill this session to increase boat registration fees, which haven’t been raised since 1984. Under the proposal, Johnson says the fees for the largest boats would increase by seven dollars. Johnson says the additional revenue would go toward environmental projects and water quality monitoring projects. He says a portion of it could also go to a special fund to help support Lakeside Lab. The facility’s future is once again clouded as the regent universities continue to have their budgets cut.
