Cincinnati.com – About 35 legislators attended a news conference Monday aimed at giving the casino issue a boost in the final days of the 2014 session, but seconds after it was over House Speaker Greg Stumbo said the issue still is effectively dead this year.
“I’m just saying what members are saying,” said Stumbo, D-Prestonsburg.
“What we’re running into as we count votes is they know that the Senate’s not going to act.”
The expanded gambling issue remains locked in a stalemate between the Democratic-majority House and Republican-majority Senate, with both chambers’ leaders saying the other needs to act first.
No more than 13 days are left in the 60-day 2014 session that may only be 59 days because of a snow day.
The rally was at least somewhat unusual in that rallies generally aren’t organized by legislators for bills that the top House Democrat has declared effectively dead.
Organizer Rep. Susan Westrom, D-Lexington, said the House should act anyway.
“Obviously, time is running out,” Westrom said.
“But I know as a House member, we’ve got a job to do. It’s our responsibility … and the best thing we can do is take care of the House and the constituents we represent and then hope the Senate does the same.”
Stumbo applauded Westrom for having the rally but said he can’t get House members to support a casino amendment because of a belief the Senate wouldn’t vote on the issue.
