“Trying to pass a parimutuel bill in Florida is like throwing a side of beef into a shark tank,” former Florida Senate President Tom Lee once told the Sun-Sentinel.
Because even the simplest of proposed legislation can become a laden-down free-for-all by the time industry factions amend a bill with their respective agendas, it’s more than likely the reason no pari-mutuel or casino-related proposals have yet been filed as the Florida Legislature begins its second Interim Committee Week on January 7, 2019. A third Committee week is scheduled to begin on January 22.
View the entire Interim Committee Schedule here.
This week, the Senate’s newly formed Committee on Innovation, Industry, and Technology that comprises issues relating to pari-mutuel law will not meet. However, the Florida House of Representatives’ Gaming Control Subcommittee is on a more ambitious schedule with a meeting scheduled for January 10 at 9 a.m.
Chaired by experienced pari-mutuel legislator David Santiago, the House Gaming Control Subcommittee will hear a review of the industry, with speakers expected to provide an educational forum on pari-mutuel and casino law and regulations in Florida, and the operations of the related agencies and industry challenges.
To view members of Gaming Control, click here.
To view the Subcommittee’s meeting materials page, click here.
To watch a live webcast of the meeting, click here on January 10, or go to www.thefloridachannel.org.