House Judiciary Committee advances sweepstakes bill clarifying electronic-gambling exception; Rutherford amendment tabled 14–6

The House Judiciary Committee advanced Senate Bill 3, the measure lawmakers described in committee as the "sweepstakes bill," after members spent extensive time debating whether statutory sweepstakes exceptions permit electronic gambling devices such as video poker. Mr. Bannister, reporting for the Constitutional Law Subcommittee, told the panel: "The only bill from the constitutional law subcommittee is senate 3, which is known as the sweepstakes bill." The committee voted to give S.3 a favorable report by a vote of 14 to 6.