The ads for Missouri’s Proposition A stress the alleged benefits to educational funding should Proposition pass. What the ads don’t say is that if passed it will create a virtual casino gambling monopoly for the 13 Missouri communities where casino gambling is currently authorized by drastically increasing the odds against Branson, and other communities which do not currently having casino gambling, from ever getting it.
Ross Summers, President/CEO Branson /Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & CVB said, “The board of the Branson /Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce & CVB has consistently taken a position against the expansion of casino gambling into the Branson area.” He went on to say that the passage of Proposition A would be consistent with that position.
Proposition A is not an amendment to Missouri’s constitution. It is a modification to Missouri’s laws made by a vote of the people. If approved by the voters Proposition A enacts a new act entitled, “The Schools First Elementary and Secondary Education Funding Initiative” (Proposition A) which modifies Missouri’s existing laws governing casino gambling in seven specific areas.
The “Title” for Proposition A voters will see on the ballot starts off with the verbiage, “Shall Missouri law be amended to:” followed by the list of the seven specific areas to be modified. One of the seven areas covered by Proposition A states, “restrict the number of casinos to those already built or being built.” The web site http://www.yesforschoolsfirst.com for one of the major organizations supporting Proposition A, “Yes on A Coalition” indicates the number of casinos will be limited to the current 13 if Proposition A passes.
The full language of Proposition A covering the restriction of the number of casinos in Missouri states,“The Missouri Gaming Commission shall not authorize additional excursion gambling boat licenses after the effective date of this act that exceed the number of licenses which have been approved for excursion gambling boats already built and those under construction. For purposes of this section, ‘under construction’ means an excursion gambling boat that has a license application approved by the Commission for priority investigation and is under construction at the approved site prior to the effective date of this act. If one or more excursion gambling boat licenses issued under chapter 313 is forfeited, surrendered, revoked, not renewed, or expires then the Commission may issue a new license to replace the license that was forfeited, surrendered, revoked, not renewed, or expired.”
If Proposition A is approved by the voters it does not completely eliminate the possibility of casino gambling coming to the Branson area but it does create another considerable hurdle that must be overcome before that can happen. As the law currently reads there is no limit on the number of casinos authorized within the state.
Currently, if the Branson area wanted to authorize casino gambling it would first have to get a constitutional amendment approved by a statewide vote authorizing casino gambling in the Branson area. If the amendment was approved by the voters the Missouri Gaming Commission could issue the license.
If Proposition A is approved and the Branson area wanted to authorize casino gambling in the area it would still require a constitutional amendment approved by a statewide vote. The difference is that even though Branson would have the authority to do it Missouri law would prohibit the Missouri Gaming Commission from issuing a license to do so.
For Branson to actually get the license necessary to build the casino the restriction on number of casinos that could be built in the state imposed by Proposition A would have to be modified to permit more than the 13 authorized by the Proposition. The “Yes on A Coalition” web site indicates that could be changed in a variety of ways such as the voter approval of a future ballot initiative, a referendum measure placed on the ballot by the legislature, or the legislature passing a law allowing additional casinos.
Furnished Courtesy of the Branson Daily Independent.
