Poarch tribe not giving up on casino for northeast Alabama sandmountainreporter.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from sandmountainreporter.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Alabama House Majority Leader Nathaniel Ledbetter, R-Rainsville, clarified the status of a bill he introduced affecting future appointments to the board of directors of the Fort Payne Improvement Authority. He also offered his thoughts on bills concerning gambling and medical marijuana.
Ledbetter said he asked the Fort Payne City Council to consider a resolution supporting HB223 to expand terms on the FPIA board to six years and permit city council members to serve.
Ledbetter stated it was inaccurately reported that the bill had passed the House of Representatives and made its way to the Senate, but he said the measure is effectively killed in committee since two of the city council members, Phillip Smith and John Smith, voted against it at Fort Payneâs March 2 meeting.
Despite media reports linking proposed gambling legislation to an agreement to allow the Poarch Band of Creek Indians to build a new casino in either DeKalb or Jackson counties, Dist. 8 State Sen. Steve Livingston assured constituents he will study the bill and follow any amendments to it carefully.
Livingston, who represents DeKalb, Jackson and Madison counties, sits on the Alabama Senate Tourism Committee, which gave a favorable report Wednesday to Senate Bill 214. This proposed amendment to the Alabama Constitution is sponsored by State Sen. Del Marsh, R-Anniston. It would overturn Alabamaâs ban on gambling and games of chance. Senate Bill 215 is the enabling legislation that would go into effect if SB214 is passed and then ratified by Alabama voters on the Nov. 2022 ballot. A 1999 referendum on a constitutional amendment to create a state state lottery and to earmark the resulting revenue for use in education failed 54% to 46%.