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Pence vetoes gambling bill

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Mike Pence pulled out the veto pen out on Friday when he rejected a gambling bill passed by the General Assembly.

The governor has three choices when it comes to action on any bill passed by state lawmakers:

  1. Sign it into law
  2. Veto it
  3. Let it become law without his signature

This year he has made use of all three options.

Pence let two gambling bills become law without his signature. One is the bill to let riverboats move on land that could also lead to live dealers at the racinos in 2021.

The other bill deals with horse racing promotions and other matters. Pence vetoed a bill that would permit advance deposit wagering on horse races.

It would permit not only in person betting, but bets made on electronic devices and Pence saw that as an unacceptable expansion of gambling.

Pence also vetoed a bill that called for new fees on some public record searches. It is unlikely that the General Assembly will override the governor’s vetoes.

The last bill that he permitted to become law without his signature calls for a three year moratorium on most new nursing home construction.

That was a tough one for governor because he’s in favor of letting the free market work.

The effort to stop the moratorium, however, is what led to an ethics scandal last year involving former state representative Eric Turner.