The prospect of legalizing video slots in New Hampshire this year is as good as dead — or so it appears from written rules governing budget negotiations taking place this week, The Associated Press reports.
Gambling supporters just aren’t ready to give up yet.
House Finance Chairwoman Marjorie Smith says slots fall outside an agreement House Speaker Terie Norelli and Senate President Sylvia Larsen signed last week aimed at getting — at a minimum — everything both chambers already agreed upon in separate budget fix plans to Gov. John Lynch for his signature.
The agreement signed last Wednesday was intended to break an impasse between the two chambers over video slots. The two leaders agreed that negotiators would start with all the provisions common to both chambers’ budget plans to narrow a budget shortfall projected to top $300 million by July 2011. Anything else would have to be added by unanimous agreement.
That means video slots — proposed by the Senate — as well as taxes on energy production, estates and insurance premiums proposed by the House must be added.
Adding video slots is extremely unlikely given the House’s long-standing staunch opposition to expanding gambling.
