State Representative Sami Scheetz (D-Cedar Rapids) speaks during debate on House File 144.
(Des Moines, IA) -- The Iowa House of Representatives is voting to send a proposed five-year moratorium on new casino licenses across the hall. The move comes a week before the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission is set to deliver a decision on a license for a proposed project in Cedar Rapids. Representatives from that area say the state government is overreaching in this case.
State Rep. Aime Wichtendahl (D-Hiawatha) is one of them.
"The people of Linn County have had to endure a previous moratorium that has straitjacketed our economic development plans because of pay-to-play politics," Wichtendahl says.
Others, like State Rep. Sami Scheetz (D-Cedar Rapids), say the state should let its Racing and Gaming Commission do its job. But supporters argue the casino market has a precedent of heavy regulation.
State Rep. Bobby Kaufmann (R-Wilton) sponsored the bill in the House.
"I do believe we are in the correct purview to tell the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission how they should make major decisions," Kaufmann says. "We created them. We change the rules on a nearly yearly basis. A ruling of this significance, I believe, should have us elected's involvement."
The bill passed the House of Representatives 68-31. That's the first hurdle for supporters. The Iowa Senate still needs to vote on its version, and Governor Kim Reynolds needs to sign off on it before next Thursday's meeting in order to have an effect on the Cedar Crossing project. Their bill passed the local government committee Thursday by a 9-3-1 vote, and could see the floor as early as Monday.