Earlier this year, Gov. Kay Ivey named her 12-member gambling study group that was tasked with “gathering detailed information to allow the governor, the Legislature, and the citizens of our state to make an informed decision on gaming expansion.”
At the time, Ivey had previewed the group in her State of the State address as the legislature was set to meet for the 2020 general session. Despite interruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the task force has continued to meet, and according to task force member Mobile County Sheriff Sam Cochran, the results of their fact-finding will be made available before the December 31 deadline imposed by Ivey.
During an interview with Mobile radio’s FM Talk 106.5, Cochran offered a preview of what to expect.
“There’s a lot going on,” he said. “We’ve been meeting steadily ever since she appointed us. We’ve had a couple of in-person meetings, probably a dozen Zoom meetings. We’ve gotten pretty good at doing the Zoom meetings. We’ve heard from all kinds of citizen groups and proponents, opponents. And we’ve divided into subcommittees. We’ve all been reporting back, so it’s moving right along. I don’t think it will be a tremendously long time period before our committee reports to the governor.”
Cochran made clear the purpose of the group was not to make recommendations or suggestions on gaming policy but to give answers on questions policymakers may have on the issue.
“I think it will certainly be something [the legislature can use],” Cochran said. “And I think the design is maybe take some of the political pressure off the legislature. I guess you can say we’re a citizen’s group from different walks of life that will answer some of these questions. We’re not making, per se, recommendations on what to do or whatever. We’re just answering questions she put out in her executive order, and we’ll get those questions answered. I knew quite a bit about gambling, but now I’ve learned a tremendous amount more about gambling.”
“What it is — there is some really peculiar things in the law about compacts and with the [Indian Gaming Regulatory Act] we’ve learned about with the Indians — certain rights that they have by law,” he continued. “That’s why you see so many Indian casinos because the law supports them and in many ways gives them an upper hand with casino gambling. But it will be a good report, and it will be educational for everyone to read it.”
@Jeff_Poor is a graduate of Auburn University and the University of South Alabama, the editor of Breitbart TV, a columnist for Mobile’s Lagniappe Weekly and host of Mobile’s “The Jeff Poor Show” from 9 a.m.-12 p.m. on FM Talk 106.5
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