House Approves Changes To Dog Track Gambling
TALLAHASSEE (CBSMiami.com) - The Florida House has approved a bill that would allow greyhound dog tracks to continue offer gambling without having to hold live dog racing.
The measure is opposed by dog breeders. The primary opposition has come from Republicans who said it will expand gambling at the tracks.
GOP representatives said that will increase a track's poker and casino-like offering once they are free from having to host live dog racing.
Representative Dana Young sponsored the bill and said it didn't make sense to force tracks to keep the money-losing business of dog racing going.
"It (HB 1455) will eliminate an artificial propping up of an industry," Rep. Young said.
"All you're doing is converting race tracks to card room casinos," said Rep. Dennis Baxley who voted against the bill. "When you reduce racing, you increase gambling."
Democrats, who have no power in the Florida Legislature, have taken to questioning why the GOP continues to focus on issues that have nothing to do with the job creation many of the Republican's ran on in 2010.
"How many of those greyhound dogs are going to lose their jobs?" Rep. Dwayne Taylor asked in jest.
