Conservatives Warn Casino Bill Could Return in 2013

Social conservatives continue to cheer the fact that Rep. Erik Fresen, R-Miami, pulled his bill in the Florida House that would open the Sunshine State to more destination casinos -- but warn it could re-emerge in 2013.

Bill Warren, the director of policy and communications for the Florida Family Policy Council, offered supporters his take on what led Fresen to move to table his bill at a meeting of the House Business and Consumer Affairs Subcommittee on Friday, noting that casino opponents snagged the key committee vote in the final hours before the committee meeting.

We began the week knowing that the 15-member committee was pretty evenly split, noted Warren. This made for an exciting week of meeting with members to determine who would be willing to vote with us to defeat the bill. On Thursday night, we finally confirmed our eighth vote, giving us a majority of the committee. Representative Fresen presented his bill on Friday morning and then conceded that he didnt have the votes to pass it and asked that the committee postpone the bill. Since this was the last time the committee will meet this session, the proposal will not be heard again and is effectively dead until 2013 when they could try and bring it up again.