With recommendations to amend the bill, Petersburg Governor Glenn Youngkin sent Senate Bill 628 back to the assembly, showing that a second vote was unnecessary to make Petersburg the fifth casino host city in Virginia. While this move raises some concerns, it should not affect the expected success of the bill.
With recommendations to amend the bill, Petersburg Governor Glenn Youngkin sent Senate Bill 628 back to the assembly, showing that a second vote was unnecessary to make Petersburg the fifth casino host city in Virginia. While this move raises some concerns, it should not affect the expected success of the bill.
Legislation is still on track
The bill, one of 11 amended by the governor's office last Friday, was hastily added to a re-enactment clause that would require the House and Senate to review it at a general meeting even after it was approved by the 2024 regular session. Governor Youngkin was surprised by the sudden update and motivated the decision to mandate a re-push.
Youngkin aims to amend the bill instead of vetoing it, allowing it to proceed smoothly through the legislative process and open to voters in Petersburg this November. Unlike vetoes, which require it to be voted down by more than two-thirds of the vote in both houses, the amendment would require a simple majority to significantly improve the chances of Bill 628.
The governor's request for the General Assembly to reconsider the re-legislation clause raises uncertainty about the bill's fate because it must be re-determined in the regular session or in a special session of the National Assembly. Lawmakers reconvene later this month, but a casino re-vote cannot happen then. Later this year, however, a special session of the National Assembly could offer another opportunity for the vote.
Petersburg's casino dream may soon become a reality
As the fifth casino host city, the establishment of Petersburg aims to strengthen the economies of historically disadvantaged communities in Virginia. Although Bristol, Danville, Norfolk, Portsmouth, and Richmond were the state's first choices, only Richmond failed to pass the referendum. With Richmond taking a step back, Petersburg now has the opportunity to secure its final casino license. 바카라사이트
Sen. Rashrekse Aird, one of the bill's main sponsors, remained optimistic about the possibility. She stressed the importance of allowing Petersburg to obtain a fifth casino license and allow citizens to vote in the referendum. Aird had been looking forward to hearing suggestions from interested operators, hoping to bring lasting prosperity to the region.
留言列表
