Representative withdraws Concordia Parish video-poker local option after industry opposition

Representative Travis Johnson asked the House Criminal Justice Committee to consider House Bill 22, a local-option measure to permit video draw poker devices in Concordia Parish. Johnson said his push was an economic-development effort for a rural parish and cited prior gaming revenues from a past program.

"My whole 6 years, if you see any record, you will see me fighting for economic development for rural communities," Representative Travis Johnson said. Johnson told members that the last time Concordia Parish had video poker, the Fiscal Office recorded net gaming proceeds of "$3,000,000 and 489,000," franchise fees of $794,000, funds retained by the state of $613,000, and $181,000 to Concordia Parish.

Opponents included Alton Ashey of the Louisiana Video Gaming Association and Will Hall of the Louisiana Baptist Office of Public Policy, who argued that additional local-option elections would not produce the economic benefits claimed and carry social costs. "When you look at gambling, you're not going to see growth from video poker," Hall said, noting statewide tax and social-cost estimates.

Industry witnesses told the committee Concordia currently has 16 on-premise consumption licenses and that machine-by-machine revenue at existing sites is modest; the Louisiana Video Gaming Association said it consistently opposes new local-option elections and asked that the committee defer the bill. Ashey also told the committee his members would take the matter back to industry leadership for possible alternatives.

After discussion, a motion was made to voluntarily defer HB 22. Representative Johnson chose to withdraw the bill at this time, saying he would continue discussions with industry and bring the matter back next year if needed. The committee recorded the voluntary deferral.