Senate Approves Bill But Changes It

The Senate has approved the House bill that will allow the four counties in West Virginia that host racetracks to vote as to whether or not they want to add table games to their existing slot machines. The bill does not legalize table games anywhere else in the state, nor does it legalize it in those four counties. It will be up to them to host local elections to see if table games will be allowed at their individual tracks or not.

The House version of the bill however, allowed for 35% tax rate on the table games, plus $2.5 million per racetrack in annual license fees. This amount is the same with the Senate bill, but the House had more of the money going into the racetrack purses than the Senate does. They want to see 3% to the Lottery Commission, 1% to the host counties, 2% to the municipalities in host counties, ½% split between Nitro and Wheeling – because they are the only two municipalities with a racetrack within city limits.

They also want 2% to the breeders, which leaves 24.5% to the state. The state will then divide it up between state debt relief (76%), racetrack employee pensions (4%), and 20% split evenly between the non racetrack counties and municipalities.

They were very specific that the cities must use that money for debt relief or infrastructure, and the counties must abide by the same rules except they can also use them for regional jail costs. The amounts going to non racetrack cities and counties is doubled from the amount that the House was giving them. Some still voted against it however, as they found that the bill was unconstitutional, and should not be passed. But those that approved it in the Senate said that they were happy with it, and they thought that the House would pass the new version because of all of the money going to West Virginia itself.

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