Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall criticized both gambling bills that are now headed to a conference committee in the Alabama Legislature.
A conference committee to negotiate a gambling legislative package between the House and Senate will meet this week.
The Senate appointed State Sens. Greg Albritton (R-Atmore), Garlan Gudger (R-Cullman) and Bobby Singleton (D-Greensboro) to the conference committee last Tuesday. The House earlier appointed State Reps. Chris Blackshear (R-Phenix City), Andy Whitt (R-Madison) and Sam Jones (D-Mobile) to the committee.
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Marshall discussed the gaming legislation recently on Talk 99.5.
“I think the fact that you can raise penalties for misdemeanors to felonies is long since overdue,” Marshall said. “That’s one of the reasons why you’ve seen individuals take steps to open illegal operations because they don’t feel like there are consequences. Do I believe that we need a statewide Gambling Commission and a separate branch of law enforcement to do it? No. They give law enforcement locally will do their job, prosecutors are equipped to be able to enforce it. It’s just a matter of people who swear to an oath to enforce the law, doing the job that they are required to do.”
When asked if he would support either the Senate or House versions of the gaming bills, Marshall said “No, absolutely not. I would’ve voted against both of them.”
Yaffee is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts “The Yaffee Program” weekdays 9-11 a.m. on WVNN. You can follow him on Twitter @Yaffee
