The Florida Legislature has been busy the past few weeks taking proactive steps to position themselves for the upcoming session as it relates to gambling.
The latest out of Tallahassee is that after the 2014 session all future gaming legislation will need to be ratified by a vote of the residents of the State of Florida. Any changes would require a 60 percent margin of victory to become law.
What is unclear is that if action is taken by the legislature at the 2014 session would that require only the Governor’s signature to become law or would that legislation also be subject to the “implementing” referendum. This measure would give the politicians exactly the type of cover they have been seeking. Frankly it is a win – win situation as the people would have the final and deciding say. The interesting issue is that this vote of the people will likely be to approve sweeping changes to the gaming laws as now written. This will not be a cherry picking opportunity, but rather a take nothing or take all decision.
The advertising spend in advance of this referendum will be monumental as Disney, The Seminole Tribe of Florida, Genting, and many others with a stake in this outcome will be spending to advance or defeat this measure. Regardless of the results the brave politicians we elected can throw up their hands and proclaim “it was the will of the people.”
