Speaker kills Georgia's casino bill

ATLANTA - House Speaker David Ralston postponed a vote on a bill proposing casino gambling in Georgia. The move was made on Crossover Day, destroying any chance the bill has to pass.

Bill supporters said casino gambling could create a jackpot of funding for Georgia students if one state lawmaker has his way.

Rep. Ron Stephens, R - Savannah, presented an updated version of his bill to a House committee last Thursday. Under the legislation, the state would create a Georgia Casino Gaming Commission tasked with licensing casino developers.

The state would only issue four licenses--two in metro Atlanta and two more in the rest of the state.

Supporters of the legislation said it would generate an estimated $300 million in economic impact.

Rep. Stephens said the majority of the tax revenue--at least 90 percent would be earmarked for the HOPE Scholarship, HOPE Grants and Pre-Kindergarten programs.  The remaining money would be divided between operating the Gaming Commission, help for problem gambling and infrastructure and public safety money for the communities where the casinos are built.

"We promised them in 1992 that if you'll vote for this, you're [going to] get an education and me, as an elected official, I want to keep my word," said Stephens.

University of Illinois Professor John Kindt has spent the last 35 years studying the economic impact of casinos.  He said they usually do not produce the funding for education that is advertised.

"They've been saying that for over 20 years in other states.  It's not working in other states," explained Kindt. "What makes you think it's going to work in Georgia?  It's actually [going to] cannibalize the lottery. It's [going to] cannibalize education funding. In the state of Illinois, one of the first states to get the casinos--allegedly to help education--the funding in real dollars has gone down significantly." 

Stephens stands by his legislation, even with time quickly dwindling at the state capitol.

"I've seen some magic happen around here in just a few hours, said Rep. Stephens. “So, I'm going to give it my best shot and do everything that I can to get it as far as I can."

If lawmakers approved the bill, voters would also have to OK the idea in a statewide referendum. Casinos would not be allowed to set up shop in a county or city without the approval of local officials.