10-14-09
SCORECARD: GAMBLING VOTES - How Your Representative Voted
Our state legislature is on its way to expanding gambling again by legalizing Table Games at Pennsylvania’s slot-machine casinos. All that remains is for the Senate and House to reconcile two different bills with different license fees and tax rates.
Here are just some of more than 150 amendments to the House version of a bill to legalize casino table games - SB 711 - that were offered and voted on the House floor beginning Sunday, October 4, 2009. We selected some key common sense, consumer protection reforms that were considered. Most failed to pass as the House leaders, backed by Gov. Rendell, were on a fast track to legalize more gambling. Note: The Pennsylvania Family Council supported passage of each of these good amendments.
Our purpose is to encourage Pennsylvania citizens to examine voting patterns carefully, educate friends and family, and thank those public officials who serve honorably.
Check each roll call to find how your State Representative voted on that amendment.
Then contact your State Rep and let him or her know what you think.
IF your State Rep voted NO on the amendment, express your disappointment and your family’s desire for no more gambling expansion.
IF your State Rep voted YES to support the good amendment, say “thank you!”
For help in finding who represents you in Harrisburg and how to contact them, use our Citizen Action Center.
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Descriptions and Roll Call votes on House amendments to Table Games bill
Source: www.PennsylvaniaVotes.org (excellent project from our friends at The Commonwealth Foundation) and www.legis.state.pa.us (official site of the Pennsylvania General Assembly).
- Amendment offered by Rep. Paul I. Clymer (R-Bucks) on October 4, 2009, to prohibit ATM machines in Casinos. The amendment failed in the House (71 to 125) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
- Amendment offered by Rep. Curt Schroder (R-Chester) on October 4, 2009, to add credit cards to the list of prohibited electronic transfer terminal options. The amendment passed in the House (195 to 0) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
- Amendment offered by Rep. Paul I. Clymer (R-Bucks) on October 4, 2009, to prohibit table games in a local municipality without the approval of table games by that municipality via a voter referendum. The amendment failed in the House (96 to 100) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
- Amendment offered by Rep. Curt Schroder (R-Chester) on October 4, 2009, to prohibit wagering on credit. The amendment failed in the House (92 to 103) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
- Amendment offered by Rep. Kerry A. Benninghoff (R-Centre) on October 4, 2009, to prohibit casinos from being open between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m. as with other bars and taverns. Currently, casinos are open 24/7. The amendment failed in the House (65 to 130) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
- Amendment offered by Rep. Bryan Cutler (R-Lancaster) on October 4, 2009, to require a state voter referendum on the issue of whether or not gambling should be expanded to table games. Only with majority approval on this referendum could table games be authorized. The amendment failed in the House (93 to 102) on October 4, 2009. [Vote Details and Comments]
- Amendment offered by Rep. Paul Clymer (R-Bucks) on October 5, 2009, to require casinos to send monthly statements to their Total Rewards Card members to show gambling losses or gains, to serve as a warning before a gambler gets himself or his family into financial trouble. The amendment failed in the House (98 to 100) on October 5, 2009. http://bit.ly/4eiVZY
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