Utah lawmaker waters down ‘Net gaming bill

Benjamin Grove

Thursday, May 15, 2003 | 11:13 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- An amendment approved Wednesday may hinder a House bill aimed at stopping Internet gambling.

The bill, introduced by Rep. Jim Leach, R-Iowa, is a legislative attempt to block Internet gambling by outlawing payments using credit cards, checks and wire transfers.

But an amendment introduced by Rep. Chris Cannon, R-Utah, and approved by the House Judiciary Committee, may decrease support for the bill in a full House vote. The amendment removed exemptions in the bill for certain types of gambling, including state lotteries and horse racing.

Cannon worried that without the amendment the bill opened the door to the future spread of those types of gambling on the Internet, a spokeswoman said.

"His main concern is keeping all form of gambling out of Utah," Cannon spokeswoman Meghan Riding said.

Cannon introduced the amendment last year and it lessened support for the broader bill because a number of lawmakers represent states with lotteries and horse racing. Cannon fully intended for the amendment to again lessen support for the bill, Riding said. Cannon does not support the bill, in part because Cannon believes it puts pressure on credit card companies to police how their cards are being used, Riding said.

The Judiciary Committee approved the bill on a largely party-line 16-15 vote with all Republicans except Cannon and Rep. Jeff Flake, R-Ariz., in favor. The bill included Cannon's amendment but he still opposed the overall bill.

Leach is still optimistic the House will approve a version of the bill, Leach chief of staff Bill Tate said. "It is our belief (the amendment) does not substantially alter the bill," Tate said.

The Financial Services Committee this year also passed the bill, but without a similar amendment. Typically when two committees pass two different versions of a bill, the House Rules Committee steps in to help negotiate which version -- perhaps a compromise version -- is sent to the floor for a vote, congressional sources said.