LEXINGTON, KY — The Family Foundation said that today’s passage of the so-called “historical horse racing” slot machine bill (SB 120) in Senate Licensing and Occupations was expected. “We knew the bill was coming out of the committee. We just wanted to lay out our case for legislators and the media as to why this bill should be voted down,” said Cothran, who testified at the committee hearing. “From here on out, the bill’s chances start going down pretty dramatically.”
After the committee heard from proponents of the bill, both Cothran and Stan Cave, attorney for The Family Foundation, testified against it. Cave countered the argument of Lexington attorney Bill Lear, who claimed that the bill was not unconstitutional. “All committee members need do is read the section of the Supreme Court’s decision on what constitutes pari-mutuel wagering and compare to what is in this bill. It’s not complicated. They will see right away that this bill is unconstitutional,” Cave said.
Cothran argued that the bill was bad for the state constitutionally, culturally and economically. “How does legislation to allow historical horse racing slot machines help the state when little of it goes into state coffers and most of it goes to enrich a wealthy corporation with out-of-state owners? This bill is a millionaire’s stimulus bill,” he said.
He also stated that it “would not help the horse industry, but would replace it.”
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