With only a single vote breaking the tie on the casino bill last week, there’s been a lot of lobbying before the issue goes before the House again tomorrow.
Lawmakers from both parties are asking their House colleagues to switch alliances on legislation that could mean the difference between two multi-million-dollar casinos being built in New Hampshire or none at all. The bill also proposes 5,000 video slot machines and 240 table games between the two locations.
If Senate Bill 366 is approved in a reconsideration vote and signed into law by Gov. Maggie Hassan, many Southern New Hampshire residents hope one of the entertainment venues would be established at Rockingham Park in Salem.
They hope a casino would create hundreds of local jobs and generate millions of dollars in annual revenue for the state and surrounding communities.
But several local lawmakers who voted to kill the bill said they don’t plan to change their vote. Several amendments are expected to be presented that could affect the vote’s outcome, including a medical marijuana proposal.
Two of the four Southern New Hampshire members of the House who didn’t vote last week defended their reasons for not being present. The vote was 173-172 to kill the legislation. Forty-two House members did not cast votes.
Rep. Jeffrey Oligny, R-Plaistow, said his job as an engineer for a defense contractor prevented him from voting in Concord on April 30.
He said his job, which requires a lot of travel, also prevented him from voting on another casino bill, House Bill 1633, in March. The House killed that bill, 173-144.
Oligny, who said he supports expanded gaming, agreed his vote could have made a difference last week if he were present. But he won’t be voting tomorrow either.
“I’m one of the ones who, if I was there, I would have voted for it,” he said. “Given that, I’m not retired and I’m not wealthy.”