By T.W. Budig
ECM capitol reporter

The House Gaming Committee on Friday (March 10) passed a spat of gaming bills to enliven a debate that had been quiet for months.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty ó who said not a word about gaming in his State of the State Address on Thursday (March 9) ó downplayed his interest in bringing back one of the big issues of last session.

ìWe gave our run at that last year. Itís time to move on and get on to other issues,î said Pawlenty speaking on Friday.

Pawlenty failed last session at altering the contour of gaming in Minnesota. Still, the Gaming Committee, chaired by Rep. Andy Westerberg, R-Anoka, took a different approach.

The committee passed a bill by Westerberg that would allow Canterbury Park in Shakopee, for instance, to accept bets placed through the Internet.

According attorney Cort Holten of Horsemens Benevolent and Protective Association, of the 37 states that have authorized horse racing only six do not permit electronic wagering.

Rep. Sondra Erickson, R-Princeton, supported introducing Internet betting. ìI tried to get rid of it (gambling) and I was unsuccessful. And everyone else will be too,î said Erickson.

Other were less enthusiastic.

Rep. Joe Atkins, DFL-Inver Grove Heights, an attorney, opined that the Minnesota Supreme Court, which struck down a teleracing bill and telephone betting rules in 1992, would likely do the same with Internet betting.

ìI donít think it will stand up to constitutional scrutiny,î he said.

Westerbergís bill on first vote failed in committee. But on a later reconsideration, passed.

In addition to Westerbergís bill, the committee also passed a bill by Rep. Michael Beard, R-Shakopee, that in effective would remove table limitations for the card club at Canterbury Park and also allow for ìbankedî card playing against the house instead of other card players.

It would also permit electronic card games.

ìThis bill is just another version of slots at Canterbury,î said John McCarthy of the Minnesota Indian Gaming Association who opposed all three bills.

Though McCarthy argued the current number of card tables at Canterbury is sufficient, Westerberg explained that when he went to the card club he left because he couldnít get a table.

Yet another bill approved by the committee is a proposed constitutional amendment authorizing racino at a horse track which has conducted racing for ten consecutive years.

Rep. Mark Buesgens, R-Jordan, explained he did not believe it was necessary for voters to approve an amendment to introduce racino in Minnesota but that it would give the initiative more force.

The proposed amendment would not affect the harness track in Northern Anoka County.