California poker bill hearing rescheduled for August

AB 167 lives on and will be discussed at a hearing in the Assembly Governmental Oversight Committee next month

The hearing due to take place on California internet poker bill AB 167 introduced by Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer (pictured) has been rescheduled for August, eGR North America can reveal. [private]

The bill was scheduled to be discussed at a hearing in the Assembly Governmental Oversight Committee last week before it was pulled from the agenda without explanation.

But a spokesman for the Assemblyman confirmed to eGR NA this morning that the bill will be heard at a re-scheduled hearing in August, with the specific date to be announced nearer the time.

The withdrawal of AB 167 from the Assembly GO agenda prompted some industry observers to suggest the bill had been pulled altogether, after Assemblyman Mike Gatto recently folded on his efforts.

Gatto confirmed he had cancelled the hearing on his AB 9 bill at the start of the month, saying it was “the right thing to do” as the various stakeholders were unable to reach consensus over the role of the racetracks and ‘bad actors’.

Despite Gatto halting his push for regulation, California has made unprecedented progress in recent months with a bill – tabled by Assemblyman Adam Gray – passing out of Committee and on to the Assembly floor for the first time.

However the Gray bill was a “placeholder” bill with no specific language over tax rates, license fees, and those eligible for an internet poker permit.

Jones-Sawyer’s bill is considered to be a viable alternative to Gray’s bill, and contains no ‘bad actor’ clause while also considers the racetracks as eligible online poker licensees.

It is the second time Jones-Sawyer has tabled online poker legislation, after last year’s effort failed to gain enough support before the legislative session timed out.