Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes voting on a constitutional amendment to expand casino gambling.

Highlights:

• Defines “commission” as the Alabama Gaming Commission created by this amendment (Sec. 2-5).

• Requires the proceeds from the Alabama Education Lottery be applied first to the payment of the expenses of administering, operating, and regulating the Alabama Education Lottery, including, without limitation, the payment of all prizes and the funding of programs that aid compulsive gambling to be administered through grants or other means by the commission subject to any limitations provided by general law, without any further appropriation required by law, and the balance of the proceeds after the payments be deposited in a special, separate account in the State Treasury hereby created and designated the Lottery Trust Fund (Sec. 3.b-1).

• Authorizes Casino-style games to be operated only through in-person, on-premises play at covered locations and to be regulated by the commission (Sec. 1.a).

• Requires the commission, by rule, to establish a competitive bidding process for the award of licenses at covered locations, considering market conditions, financial fitness of the bidders, and other factors deemed relevant by the commission (Sec. 2.b-1).

• Specifies within 20 days after the end of each calendar month, a covered operator must pay the commission a tax of 20 percent of the net gaming revenues for the location immediately preceding the calendar month (Sec. 3.a)..

• Establishes the Gaming Trust Fund within the State Treasury. Proceeds received by the Alabama Gaming Commission from license fees will be deposited in the fund as provided by general law. Proceeds in the fund will be appropriated by general law for the following purposes as further provided in general law (Sec. 4.a-1):

• For information technology infrastructure, with the first $750 million appropriated in general law for the development and expansion of broadband;

• For the provision of health care services, including rural health care services; and

• For the provision of mental health services.

• Requires the commission to consist of seven members, appointed as follows (Sec. 5.b):

• 2 by the Governor.

• One by the Speaker of the House of Representatives.

• One by the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives.

• One by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate.

• One by the Minority Leader of the Senate.

• One by the Lieutenant Governor.

• Authorizes the commission to adopt rules necessary to implement this amendment and related legislation. All rules relative to hearings and licenses will include due process for those involved, including for covered operators (Sec. 6.a).

• Requires the Governor, or the Governor's designee, to negotiate in good faith and conclude a compact for the operation and regulation of casino-style games and sports wagering with the Poarch Band of Creek Indians on Poarch Band of Creek Indians trust land (Sec. 7.a).

• Specifies the operation of this amendment is not subject to, or prohibited, limited, or impaired by, any constitutional provision, statute, regulation, court decision, ordinance, resolution, or other law that is inconsistent with this amendment (Sec. 11).

Full Bill Text