Poker Voters bill expected in next 48 hours
Lobby group confirms third California bill is 48 hours away and clarifies confusion over sponsor in legislature.
The newly installed executive director of Poker Voters of America has confirmed the poker-only bill submitted to the California legislative council by Assemblyman Jerry Hill originated from the lobby group, and that it will seek to introduce this via an as-yet-unnamed sponsor in the next 48 hours.
In an exclusive blog for eGaming Review, Patrick Dorinson, previously spokesman for the Morongo gaming tribe and California Online Poker Association which are opposing the last Poker Voters-backed bill introduced by Senator Rod Wright, also appealed for all potential stakeholders in Californian intrastate poker to put aside their past differences. They should set a goal of having a bill passed and signed into law by California State Governor Jerry Brown by 30 March 2011, said Dorinson.
“Experts have said that estimated revenue for the state in the first full year of operations would be US$300m, increasing annually as the system matures. The governor has said he wants his whole budget done by then so let’s make his job a little easier by bringing California a new source of revenue”, said Dorinson.
Dorinson also argued this would perhaps be easier achieved by removing all lobbyists and consultants from the equation.
“Let the principals of all interested parties get together in a room without lobbyists and consultants and working with key legislative staff hammer out bill language that can gain an ‘aye’ vote in the Legislature. Reasonable and rational people can find a solution that will work for all.”
Dorinson’s statements to eGR follow California political newspaper Capitol Weekly reporting comments by Poker Voters consultant Lloyd Levine, who handed the lobby group’s draft language to Hill three weeks ago, that eGaming Review had published a “completely inaccurate” story that the Poker Voters bill was set to be introduced to the Assembly with Hill as the sponsor. eGR’s story followed an interview with Poker Voters president Melanie Brenner.
Levine, who also consults for Poker Voters in Florida, told eGaming Review: “Assembly Member Hill received the language from the Poker Voters of America, and Mr Hill’s office submitted the language to legislative council to be drafted in bill form. However, Mr Hill never committed to carrying any legislation.” Levine, who introduced the first online poker legislation to the California legislature while an Assemblyman back in 2007, said he hoped to see legislation passed by September 2011.
Dorinson added: “PVOA would like to clear up any misunderstanding regarding the submission of our draft bill to the California Legislature, which was indeed supplied by Lloyd Levine to Jerry Hill on our behalf. It was on our end that there was confusion and we are sorry for any implication that eGaming Review was inaccurate in their reporting.
“eGaming Review is the premier news source for the industry and their credibility and integrity are unquestioned. They accurately reported what we told them and what we thought to be accurate. When we dug a little deeper we found out our team had misunderstood the situation. PVOA is sorry for any confusion this might have caused.”