Lawmakers in Utah just proved that they can, in fact, make decisions within a normal period of time, negating the theory that they need months and months to reach a conclusion. A bill was introduced in the last week of February by Senate minority leader Karen Mayne that was designed to provide better clarification of certain aspects of gambling, notably what is referred to as “fringe gambling.” Now, less than three weeks after the bill first showed itself, the Utah House and Senate have both given their approval.
Fringe gambling is used to describes gaming machines that are billed as “for entertainment purposes only,” but which are really gambling machines at their core. They have been found all over the state because there was no law preventing their use, despite strict anti-gambling laws in Utah. That was where Senate Bill 214 (SB 214) came in and sought to close the loopholes exploited by the gaming machine operators.
SB 214 makes a clear distinction between what is considered a legal or illegal machine. It also puts a definition to fringe gambling, and introduces higher penalties for those who own or operate the machines. Users who lose money can also claim reimbursement of double what they put in.
When Mayne presented her bill last month, she didn’t hold back her opinion on the subject of the gaming machines. She told the press, “It’s a cancer that needs to be out of the state of Utah. If they want this kind of practice, it needs to be elsewhere because it’s bringing down all our communities, and bringing drug use, more violence, all those kinds of things. These are slot machines that are in mini-marts, laundromats, beauty salons, and they’re more aggressive every single day.”
The bill found solid approval in both the House and Senate, in part because proponents asserted that the machines are often found in the same locations as drugs, prostitution and other forms of illicit activity. So, passing the law allows the state to kill two birds with one stone. The next, and last, stop for the bill is Governor Gary Herbert’s desk.
SB214 sailed through the House on Wednesday before being presented to the Senate on Thursday. Along the way, it didn’t encounter any roadblocks, although a small handful of lawmakers voted against the measure, and its rapid passage shows that lawmakers can get things done efficiently and rapidly when they put their minds to it, and when there’s proper motivation. Yesterday was the last day of the legislative session, and lawmakers wanted to clear their desks as much as possible before their departure.
