BY STEVE PAINTEREagle Topeka bureauTOPEKA =
The losing streak for casino gambling in the Kansas Senate may be about to end. In an informal survey of the Senate by The Wichita Eagle and the Kansas City Star, 24 senators said they could vote for a bill legalizing two new casinos in the state. That's three more votes than are needed to pass the bill.
Although 18 senators were leaning strongly toward a yes vote, six others said they would consider voting yes only if the bill contained some restrictions.
Conditions include limiting gambling to two new casinos in eastern Kansas and preventing future expansion of gambling in the state.
In the House, which passed casino gambling in 2002 and 2003 by narrow margins, the 2004 election appears to have left the issue as a toss-up.
"It's very close," House Speaker Doug Mays said.
Since voters opened the door to legal gambling by approving the Kansas Lottery and wagering at dog and horse tracks in 1986, casino gambling has been debated but never passed by the full Legislature.
With a court order demanding more money for schools, some lawmakers--while still concerned about an increase in gambling addiction and a negative effect on families -- are reconsidering their position.
Before the state turns its attention to the House, Kansans are watching for a first in the Senate: a vote for expanded gambling. With Senate leaders supporting gambling, a proposal could be voted on in the full Senate in the next two to three weeks.
Limits are key
For some senators, limiting casinos to Kansas City and southeastern Kansas, where nearby casinos attract Kansans by the thousands to Missouri and Oklahoma, is the key to winning their support.
"If the right bill came around, I would support it," said Sen. Terry Bruce of Hutchinson, who voted against gambling in last summer's special legislative session.
He said that as long as expanded gambling didn't expand beyond the two eastern Kansas casinos, it made sense to accept gaming and its revenue for the state.
For others, gambling is just wrong and no bill would gain their vote.
"For the life of me, I can't see how they say this is a plus," said Sen. Les Donovan, R-Wichita. "The bulk of the money will flow out of people's pockets to other parts of the world."
Wichita would not get a casino in the bill now being drafted, Senate leaders say.
However, the area would get 1,500 slot machines at Wichita Greyhound Park. Mays and Senate Democratic leader Anthony Hensley said that could cost votes.
"Every time you include any kind of gambling west of Lawrence, you start losing votes," Mays said.
Sen. Mark Taddiken, a Clifton Republican, is a longtime gambling opponent. But the legislator from north-central Kansas said casinos in neighboring states and gambling Web sites already are exposing Kansans to what he says are negative effects of gambling, such as gambling addiction.
"I'll have to be convinced," he said, but he's "closer to being on the bubble than ever before."
Pressure for new money
Legislators are under pressure to find extra money for schools in future years. A cost study released last week on the opening day of this year's session said schools need $460 million more to have a shot at bringing all students up to proficiency in reading and math.
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and legislative leaders hope the Kansas Supreme Court will let them phase in the new funding over several years. Last year, the court delayed ordering an additional $568 million for schools, pending completion of the cost study.
Cash reserves would enable lawmakers to pay a portion of the extra school funding next year without new revenues, which may not be available even if casinos are approved. But casino-generated revenue could help in future years.
The bill being drafted in the Senate would authorize resort casinos in Kansas City and in the Pittsburg area.
And in addition to the 1,500 slot machines at Wichita's pari-mutuel track, it would approve 2,000 for the Woodlands, a greyhound racing track in Kansas City and 1,500 at the Camptown, a greyhound racing track in Pittsburg.
Four casinos operate in Kansas City, Mo., and several smaller gambling halls exist in northeastern Oklahoma, attracting Kansas gamblers across state lines by the thousands.
In addition, American Indian tribes operate four casinos in northeastern Kansas under compacts with the state, which gets none of the revenue.
In the special session last summer, called to respond to a Supreme Court order for more school funding, 17 senators voted for a gambling plan, and one supporter was absent.
Sixteen senators remain firmly opposed to gambling. Some cite gambling addiction and potential damage to existing entertainment businesses.
Others say the state should not be in the gambling business. As proposed in previous bills, the Kansas Lottery would own the slot machines and other games -- circumventing the Kansas Constitution's prohibition of gambling -- but would contract with private companies to manage the casinos.
"This would be the ultimate corruption of our government system, to have gambling operated by the government," said Sen. Susan Wagle, R-Wichita. "They did not envision in that vote that they were voting for a state-owned casino."
Doubt now is in House
The House approved gambling bills in 2002 and 2003 by narrow margins -- 66 yes votes in the last vote, three more than needed for passage. The chamber has taken no vote on the issue since 2004, when 29 new members were elected.
"It could go either way depending on the bill," Mays said. In six cases, lawmakers who voted yes in 2003 were replaced by gambling opponents, although that issue wasn't necessarily a factor in the election.
One race turned a no vote to yes. Sixteen races resulted in no change.
The rest of the representatives couldn't be reached late last week.
Republican Kasha Kelley of Arkansas City replaced Democrat Joe Shriver, who voted yes but did not seek re-election.
"I don't feel like introducing another potential social ill on the state helps in any way," Kelley said.
In other cases, the election didn't change the vote tally.
"We have the evils of gambling now, but Kansas isn't getting any revenue," said Rep. Mike Kiegerl, R-Eudora, a supporter of expanded gambling. He ousted another gambling supporter, John Ballou, now a lobbyist for Wichita Greyhound Park owner Phil Ruffin.
Sebelius has pushed unsuccessfully for expanded gambling since winning election in 2002.
Voter approval of gambling in advisory elections late last year in Harvey and Sumner counties could be a factor at the state Capitol, said Rep. Jim Ward of Wichita, the assistant Democratic leader in the House.
"That may be enough to push those guys over from no to yes," he said.
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Contributing: Jim Sullinger and David Klepper of the Kansas City Star; Brent Wistrom of The Eagle's Topeka bureau
Reach Steve Painter at (785) 296-3006 or spainter@wichitaeagle.com.
The losing streak for casino gambling in the Kansas Senate may be about to end. In an informal survey of the Senate by The Wichita Eagle and the Kansas City Star, 24 senators said they could vote for a bill legalizing two new casinos in the state. That's three more votes than are needed to pass the bill.
Although 18 senators were leaning strongly toward a yes vote, six others said they would consider voting yes only if the bill contained some restrictions.
Conditions include limiting gambling to two new casinos in eastern Kansas and preventing future expansion of gambling in the state.
In the House, which passed casino gambling in 2002 and 2003 by narrow margins, the 2004 election appears to have left the issue as a toss-up.
"It's very close," House Speaker Doug Mays said.
Since voters opened the door to legal gambling by approving the Kansas Lottery and wagering at dog and horse tracks in 1986, casino gambling has been debated but never passed by the full Legislature.
With a court order demanding more money for schools, some lawmakers--while still concerned about an increase in gambling addiction and a negative effect on families -- are reconsidering their position.
Before the state turns its attention to the House, Kansans are watching for a first in the Senate: a vote for expanded gambling. With Senate leaders supporting gambling, a proposal could be voted on in the full Senate in the next two to three weeks.
Limits are key
For some senators, limiting casinos to Kansas City and southeastern Kansas, where nearby casinos attract Kansans by the thousands to Missouri and Oklahoma, is the key to winning their support.
"If the right bill came around, I would support it," said Sen. Terry Bruce of Hutchinson, who voted against gambling in last summer's special legislative session.
He said that as long as expanded gambling didn't expand beyond the two eastern Kansas casinos, it made sense to accept gaming and its revenue for the state.
For others, gambling is just wrong and no bill would gain their vote.
"For the life of me, I can't see how they say this is a plus," said Sen. Les Donovan, R-Wichita. "The bulk of the money will flow out of people's pockets to other parts of the world."
Wichita would not get a casino in the bill now being drafted, Senate leaders say.
However, the area would get 1,500 slot machines at Wichita Greyhound Park. Mays and Senate Democratic leader Anthony Hensley said that could cost votes.
"Every time you include any kind of gambling west of Lawrence, you start losing votes," Mays said.
Sen. Mark Taddiken, a Clifton Republican, is a longtime gambling opponent. But the legislator from north-central Kansas said casinos in neighboring states and gambling Web sites already are exposing Kansans to what he says are negative effects of gambling, such as gambling addiction.
"I'll have to be convinced," he said, but he's "closer to being on the bubble than ever before."
Pressure for new money
Legislators are under pressure to find extra money for schools in future years. A cost study released last week on the opening day of this year's session said schools need $460 million more to have a shot at bringing all students up to proficiency in reading and math.
Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and legislative leaders hope the Kansas Supreme Court will let them phase in the new funding over several years. Last year, the court delayed ordering an additional $568 million for schools, pending completion of the cost study.
Cash reserves would enable lawmakers to pay a portion of the extra school funding next year without new revenues, which may not be available even if casinos are approved. But casino-generated revenue could help in future years.
The bill being drafted in the Senate would authorize resort casinos in Kansas City and in the Pittsburg area.
And in addition to the 1,500 slot machines at Wichita's pari-mutuel track, it would approve 2,000 for the Woodlands, a greyhound racing track in Kansas City and 1,500 at the Camptown, a greyhound racing track in Pittsburg.
Four casinos operate in Kansas City, Mo., and several smaller gambling halls exist in northeastern Oklahoma, attracting Kansas gamblers across state lines by the thousands.
In addition, American Indian tribes operate four casinos in northeastern Kansas under compacts with the state, which gets none of the revenue.
In the special session last summer, called to respond to a Supreme Court order for more school funding, 17 senators voted for a gambling plan, and one supporter was absent.
Sixteen senators remain firmly opposed to gambling. Some cite gambling addiction and potential damage to existing entertainment businesses.
Others say the state should not be in the gambling business. As proposed in previous bills, the Kansas Lottery would own the slot machines and other games -- circumventing the Kansas Constitution's prohibition of gambling -- but would contract with private companies to manage the casinos.
"This would be the ultimate corruption of our government system, to have gambling operated by the government," said Sen. Susan Wagle, R-Wichita. "They did not envision in that vote that they were voting for a state-owned casino."
Doubt now is in House
The House approved gambling bills in 2002 and 2003 by narrow margins -- 66 yes votes in the last vote, three more than needed for passage. The chamber has taken no vote on the issue since 2004, when 29 new members were elected.
"It could go either way depending on the bill," Mays said. In six cases, lawmakers who voted yes in 2003 were replaced by gambling opponents, although that issue wasn't necessarily a factor in the election.
One race turned a no vote to yes. Sixteen races resulted in no change.
The rest of the representatives couldn't be reached late last week.
Republican Kasha Kelley of Arkansas City replaced Democrat Joe Shriver, who voted yes but did not seek re-election.
"I don't feel like introducing another potential social ill on the state helps in any way," Kelley said.
In other cases, the election didn't change the vote tally.
"We have the evils of gambling now, but Kansas isn't getting any revenue," said Rep. Mike Kiegerl, R-Eudora, a supporter of expanded gambling. He ousted another gambling supporter, John Ballou, now a lobbyist for Wichita Greyhound Park owner Phil Ruffin.
Sebelius has pushed unsuccessfully for expanded gambling since winning election in 2002.
Voter approval of gambling in advisory elections late last year in Harvey and Sumner counties could be a factor at the state Capitol, said Rep. Jim Ward of Wichita, the assistant Democratic leader in the House.
"That may be enough to push those guys over from no to yes," he said.
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Contributing: Jim Sullinger and David Klepper of the Kansas City Star; Brent Wistrom of The Eagle's Topeka bureau
Reach Steve Painter at (785) 296-3006 or spainter@wichitaeagle.com.