Here’s how Kentucky senators voted on the casino gambling bill yesterday. Senate Bill 151, which would have given Senate approval to placing a constitutional amendment on the November ballot allowing up to seven casinos across the Commonwealth, needed to receive 23 votes (three-fifths of the senators) in order to move the proposal along to the House of Representatives.
The bill received 16 votes in favor and 21 votes in opposition.
YES
REPUBLICANS: Buford, Nicholasville; Gibson, Leitchfield; Harris, Crestwood; Higdon, Lebanon; Schickel, Union; Thayer, Georgetown.
DEMOCRATS: Blevins, Morehead; Clark, Louisville; Harper Angel, Louisville; Palmer, Winchester; Parrett, Elizabethtown; Pendleton, Hopkinsville; Rhoads, Madisonville; Ridley, Henderson; Shaughnessy, Louisville; Stein, Lexington.
NO
REPUBLICANS: Bowen, Owensboro; Carpenter, Berea; Denton, Louisville; Givens, Greensburg; Hornback, Shelbyville; Jensen, London; Kerr, Lexington; McGaha, Russell Springs; Seum, Louisville; Smith, Hazard; Stine, Southgate; Stivers, Manchester; Westwood, Erlanger; Williams, Burkesville; Wilson, Bowling Green; Winters, Murray.
DEMOCRATS: Carroll, Frankfort; Jones, Pikeville; Turner, Prestonsburg; Webb, Grayson.
INDEPENDENTS: Leeper, Paducah.
NOT VOTING
DEMOCRATS: Neal, Louisville.
If your senator voted against this very bad piece of legislation, please send him or her a “thank you” letter. Our senators need to know that we appreciate it when they take courageous stands like this despite the huge amount of pressure that is exerted by the gambling industry.