In an effort to place stern limitations on unlawful gambling, a couple of legislations with increased penalties are advancing through the legislative process in Florida. One such proposal is gaining momentum in the state’s House while its counterpart is accelerating in the Senate. These bills represent a determined effort by Florida’s legislators to combat the presence of illegal gambling establishments and halt the expansion of unlawful gambling machines. However, amidst the progress, strong resistance continues to emerge which casts doubts over the fate of these two legislations.
The version of the proposal put forward by the House, known as HB 189, emphasizes an increase in legal consequences for illegal gambling activities. It stipulates that a preliminary cease-and-desist order must be issued to illicit gambling venues before any arrests or convictions related to illegal gambling can be made. This segment of the bill exhibits a protective instinct towards employees in these venues, who may be ignorant of their workplace’s involvement in illegal activity.
In addition to this, HB 189 bans the promotion of unlawful gambling businesses as legal entities and recommends harsher punishments for those who partake in illegal gambling. Currently such crimes are deemed to be a second-degree misdemeanor, but the legislation proposes to escalate this to a third-degree felony. The proposal also advocates for increased penalties for repeat offenders.
Resistance Increases
The Senate’s version of the proposal, dubbed SB 1046, incorporates similar provisions for raising penalties on unlawful gambling. A notable divergence between the two proposals is the Senate version’s omission of the text requiring issuance of cease-and-desist orders before prosecution or arrests are made.
The Senate’s proposal managed to go through a Committee Substitute phase, with a 13-4 favor-opposed vote count on Thursday, whereas the House counterpart also navigated the Committee Substitute successfully, gaining 16 votes in favor and encountering only 4 opposed votes. Both proposals are now approaching a decisive floor vote, which will dictate their future trajectories in Florida.
However, as the proposals gain steam, increasing apprehensions from their detractors have begun to surface. According to Florida Politics, members of the American Legion, during a recent House committee hearing, expressed their concerns about the unforeseen effects the proposal might bring. They raise worries over their volunteers potentially facing criminal charges and consequences, even when unknowingly working in venues with illicit gambling activities. In a similar manner, members of the Florida Moose Lodge have also expressed their disapproval of the proposals, criticizing the legislative text for its ambiguity.
Given the escalating resistance, there are chances the proposed legislations may see revisions in their text. However, the final decision rests solely with the legislators of Florida.
