Kansas Expanded Gambling Bill Fails As reported by the Lawrence Journal-World: "Despite pressure from Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, a move to expand gambling failed in the Senate on Thursday, which also throws into limbo proposed public school funding increases. "'We were hoping to be able to utilize this for education,' Senate President Steve Morris, R-Hugoton, said of gambling revenue. 'We'll have to find another way to do it.' "…The bill that would've allowed slot machines at tracks and the construction of two resort-type casinos died 16-20 with four senators passing. "…For Senate leadership, the vote was a setback. All session long, observers have been handicapping whether there were 21 votes in the 40-member Senate to get a gambling bill out of the chamber for the first time in more than a decade. "Supporters touted the measure as a way to pay for court-ordered school funding, capture gambling revenue exported to neighboring states and reduce property taxes…" |