RALEIGH — The N.C. House of Representatives approved legislation May 31st that would ban video poker machines in North Carolina.
House members approved the bill by a vote of 114 to 1. Rep. John Blust, R-Guilford, was the only legislator to vote against the bill.
The measure was the result of several weeks of negotiations among legislators, sheriffs and representatives of the employees and machine owners in the video poker industry. The bill, which is sponsored by Rep. Bill Owens, D-Pasquotank, was approved by the House Rules Committee on Tuesday afternoon and by the full House on Wednesday.
In the past, Speaker Jim Black, D-Mecklenburg, and other House members have supported greater enforcement and regulation of the industry instead of a complete ban due to the number of jobs in the industry, which currently stands at more than 1,700. Many employees in the industry have limited education and skills and lack other possible job opportunities. Shortly after the lottery passed last year, Black said it could mean the end of video poker due to the new employment or income opportunities for those currently working in the video poker industry.
The ban of video poker would be phased in over the next year, in order to give employees in the industry enough time to find a new job. The legislation would require current machine owners or businesses to downsize from their current maximum of three machines to two machines by October 1, 2006, and from two machines to one machine by March 1, 2007. A complete ban would take effect on July 1, 2007. Current machine owners must sell their machines to individuals outside of North Carolina or to the Cherokee Casino in western North Carolina.
The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association has expressed its support of the compromise legislation. Eddie Caldwell with the Sheriffs’ Association read the following statement during Tuesday’s meeting of the House Rules Committee. “The North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association appreciates the decision of the House leadership to support legislation this year that will ban video poker machines in North Carolina. The proposal to begin eliminating them this fall and to completely outlaw them by July 1, 2007 will accomplish the long-standing goal of the Association to ban video poker machines in our state. The Sheriffs of North Carolina look forward to the House and Senate approving legislation to ban video poker machines in North Carolina, and to the Governor signing the ban into law.”
Supporters of banning video poker in North Carolina pointed to similar action taken by the South Carolina Legislature six years ago. In 2000, when South Carolina state legislators approved a lottery referendum for voters, they followed with a ban of video poker machines.
The North Carolina General Assembly passed legislation in 1993 legalizing video poker machines and similar devices. In 2000 in response to South Carolina’s ban of video poker machines, the North Carolina General Assembly approved legislation to hinder a possible migration of video poker machines from South Carolina by limiting to three the number of video poker machines per location, requiring registration with the local Sheriff, and forbidding cash payouts as winnings.
The legislation now goes to the Senate for consideration.