A vote by the U.S. House on Tuesday to approve a $26 billion jobs bill has revived talk on Boston’s Beacon Hill about Massachusetts casino legislation declared all but dead just a week ago, The Associated Press reports.
A Massachusetts casino would compete directly with Connecticut’s two tribal casinos.
The aid bill, already approved by the U.S. Senate, translates into $655 million for Massachusetts in federal Medicaid dollars and money intended to save teachers’ jobs. President Barack Obama immediately signed the bill into law.
Gov. Deval Patrick said the bill will likely force state lawmakers to come back into a formal session to authorize the spending. He said that would also let them take action on his version of a gambling bill that would license three casinos but no slot machines at racetracks.
On the last day of their formal session for the year, July 31, the Legislature sent Patrick a bill authorizing the state to license three casinos and two slot parlors to be bid on by the state’s four racetracks.
Patrick refused to sign the bill and instead stripped out the racetrack slot parlors, which he likened to “no-bid contracts,” and shipped the legislation back to lawmakers with just the three casino licenses.
“I’d like to see the Legislature take up the amendment that I sent back and enact what we have all agreed to which is the three destination resorts (casinos) and to leave the question of slot parlors for another day,” Patrick said Tuesday.
Senate President Therese Murray said her chamber doesn’t have the votes to move Patrick’s version of the casino bill.
