RED TAPE DELAYS NEW JERSEY LEGALISATION DEBATE

Posted 12.13.10 By Antonio E :

Last minute financial tweak means more committee pondering
 
Unconfirmed reports surfacing in the New Jersey media suggest that Senator Ray Lesniak's bid to take his internet gambling legalization to the Assembly floor Monday could have been temporarily delayed, although political observers appeared to remain confident that the measure will ultimately pass.
 
The glitch is rooted in a financial change to the bill that is believed to call for a reduction in the proposed levy for racing envisaged once the law has been in force for over five years.  The change means that instead of going before the Assembly in a final stage before referral to the governor for signature, the bill is now required to pass through Appropriation committees in both the Senate and the Assembly. 

This would appear to be a formality, judging by the popularity in both legislatures that has seen S490 making remarkably fast progress.
 
A bill proposing that the State enter the sports betting business and also due for debate in the Assembly Monday is not affected by the S490 delay and will be on the Assembly agenda as planned.