Georgia House delays sports betting bill vote as bipartisan efforts fall through
A Georgia House bill that would legalize online sports betting failed to receive a floor vote Thursday when state Democrats withheld support in effort to pressure Republicans on voting rights legislation.
The Associated Press reported that the bill was scheduled for a vote until it was pulled at the last moment once it became clear Democrats would not support it.
House Democrats are withdrawing bipartisan support for any Republican-sponsored legislation as a show of leverage against GOP voting rights bills Democrats say would discriminate against Black voters.
Rep. Ron Stephens (R-Savannah) is the sponsor of HB 86, which would legalize online sports betting under the direction of the Georgia Lottery Corp. The legislation is one of several GOP-backed bills caught in political crossfires.
HB 86 was voted through the House Economic Development and Tourism Committee by a 20-6 margin earlier this week, but with many House Republicans on the fence, it would likely need some Democratic to make it through a floor vote. Republicans presently hold a 103-76 majority in the House.
House Minority Leader, Rep. James Beverly (D-Macon), told the AP his party would block support of any legislation hinging on bipartisan support. “If we’ve got leverage, it’s time to use it,” he told the AP.
Democrats are concerned Republican voting rights bills would disenfranchise Black Georgians, a voting bloc that helped win Democrats two US Senate seats last month and cushioned Joe Biden’s Presidential Election victory over Donald Trump in November 2020.
The AP reports Republicans have pushed for legislation that would limit early voting, require a photo ID for absentee voting and prohibit ballot drop boxes.
Georgia sports betting legislation faces other avenues, including a Senate bill that would also legalize online sports wagering under the state lottery. Whereas Stephens’ bill suggests a 20% tax on sports betting revenue, the senate bill would tax profits at 10%.
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