Iowa senator says casino ban ‘won’t advance’
The House passed the ban by a 68-31 vote.
Key Points
- The previous moratorium expired last summer
- The new ban would halt casino expansion until 2030
A lawmaker in Iowa recently said a ban on new casino licenses does not have the support needed to pass in the Senate, according to a KTIV local news report.
Iowa’s House of Representatives recently passed a bill that would invoke a ban on new casino projects for the next five years.
House members approved the ban by a vote of 68-31.
Senate File 76 includes a moratorium on issuing new licenses until 2030, the local report said. The bill would also limit the number of gambling licenses that the state issues to 19.
The legislation was brought to the Iowa General Assembly by the Committee on Ways and Means.
According to the local report, the Senate Local Government Subcommittee recently passed moratorium legislation. The Senate Local Government Committee followed suit a few hours later.
However, President Pro Tempore and State Government Committee Chair Ken Rozenboom said this measure is unlikely to move forward in the Senate.
He commented, “Today, I chose not to bring forward HF 144 in committee. I am no fan of gambling and my decision not to advance this legislation should not be considered in support of casino expansion.
“According to my conversations, this bill did not have enough support from Senate Republicans to advance all the way through the Senate process. In the interest of moving this session forward to other issues of critical importance to Iowans, I have no plans to reconsider the legislation for the remainder of this session.”
Good to know: Until recently, the state had a two-year moratorium in place on new gaming licenses
However, the previous moratorium expired in July. If the bill becomes law, it will halt plans to build a new casino in Cedar Rapids.
The estimated $275m casino development project was pitched by the Linn County Gaming Association and its partner Peninsula Pacific Entertainment.
The completed destination would be home to a casino with 700 slot machines and 22 table games. The site would also feature a 1,500-seat entertainment venue, several restaurants, bars and an arts and cultural center.
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