RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - A Virginia state Senate committee has changed a major casino bill to require a study and another vote in 2020 before any casino licenses would be granted.
News outlets report the Senate Finance Committee agreed Wednesday with a plan by Republican Majority Leader Tommy Norment of James City to stop any local referendums on casinos until a comprehensive study is done. The committee voted 12-4 to advance the plan, diminishing hopes of casino supporters as the legislative session approaches the halfway point.
The bill orders the state's Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to conduct a comprehensive gambling study with a Nov. 1 deadline.
Norment's proposal modifies a bill which originally included a study but would have allowed cities to hold referendums as soon as November.