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THANKS FOR JOINING US AT FIVE. I’M GUY RAWLINGS AND I’M SHERI FALK EFFORTS TO PASS BILLS ALLOWING ALABAMA TO HAVE A LOTTERY IN THE PAST HAVE FALLEN SHORT, BUT THIS YEAR COULD PROVE TO BE DIFFERENT. STATE LAWMAKERS ARE SET TO INTRODUCE TWO NEW BILLS THAT WOULD ALLOW THE CREATION OF A STATE GAMING COMMISSION, WHICH WOULD OVERSEE THE FIVE SPECIFIC TYPES OF GAMBLING THE STATE IS LOOKING TO MAKE LEGAL. NOW. THAT INCLUDES CASINOS, A STATE LOTTERY, SPORTS BETTING, BINGO AND TRADITIONAL WATCH RAFFLES. REPRESENTATIVES SAY THAT THIS WILL ALLOW THEM TO GET A GRASP ON GAMBLING IN THE STATE AND CONTROL IT SO IT DOESN’T GET OUT OF HAND. ALABAMA HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO CAPTURE THIS INDUSTRY TO CAP IT TO STOP ITS GROWTH AND TO COLLECT ON IT. IT WILL GIVE ALABAMA THE OPPORTUNITY TO REGULATE THIS CANCEROUS GROWTH THAT CONTINUES TO SPREAD THROUGHOUT OUR STATE, THROUGHOUT OUR HOMES AND THROUGH OUR PHONES AND THROUGH OUR COMPUTERS AND THROUGH OUR COMMUNITIES. WE NEED TO CONTROL THIS. WE NEED TO CAPTURE IT. WE NEED TO STOP ITS GROWTH. THAT’S WHAT THIS BILL DOES AS �������� 13 LISA CRANE HAS MORE ON THIS TOPIC FOR US TONIGHT. LISA, I KNOW YOU SPOKE WITH PEOPLE FOR AND AGAINST THE LOTTERY AND GAMING TODAY. DO THEY FEEL LIKE THIS IS THE RIGHT TIME FOR THIS? WELL FOLKS HERE AT THE BIRMINGHAM RACE COURSE CERTAINLY WOULD SAY YES TO THAT QUESTION. THEY SAY IF THE LEGISLATURE PASSES IN ALABAMA, VOTERS APPROVE A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT, THEN THIS RACE COURSE COULD BE REINVENTED. BUT A GROUP REPRESENTING MORE THAN 3500 CHURCHES AND MINISTRIES SAYS THE NEGATIVES THAT COME WITH GAMBLING FAR OUTWEIGH THE POSITIVES. FOLKS AT THE BIRMINGHAM RACE COURSE SAY IF A GAMBLING BILL MAKES IT THROUGH THE STATE HOUSE AND SENATE AND IS APPROVED BY VOTERS, THIS VENUE COULD BECOME MORE OF A TRADITIONAL CASINO AND BECOME AN ENTERTAINMENT DESTINATION, CREATING JOBS AND TAX REVENUE. BUT THE PRESIDENT OF ALABAMA CITIZENS ACTION PROGRAM, OR AL CAPP, SAYS THAT’S NOT WHAT RESIDENTS WANT TO SEE HERE. WE KNOW THAT WHEN YOU OPEN A CASINO THAT OTHER CRIMES INCREASE CHILD TRAFFICKING, PROSTITUTION, THINGS LIKE THAT, FOLLOW THAT THAT MODEL AROUND, THAT BUSINESS MODEL AROUND. AND SO I DON’T THINK CASINOS ARE REAL POPULAR AROUND THE STATE OF ALABAMA. BUT MONTE BALLARD SAYS ALABAMIANS ARE ALREADY GAMBLING AND PLAYING THE LOTTERY. THEY’RE JUST DOING IT IN OTHER STATES, ALLOWING OUR NEIGHBORS IN EVERY DIRECTION TO REAP THE BENEFITS. IT WOULD ALLOW US TO KEEP OUR MONEY IN THE STATE AND INCREASE REVENUE FOR JUST THOSE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO PLAY. IF YOU PLAY, THEN YOU PAY THE TAX. IF YOU DON’T, YOU DON’T HAVE TO PAY THE TAX. GREG DAVIS SAYS THE CHURCHES AND MINISTRIES ARE THE ONES WHO DEAL WITH THE FALLOUT FROM SUCH ENDEAVORS. THE GAMBLING ADDICTS WHO LOSE IT ALL AND HITRILLIONOCK BOTTOM AND THE RESIDENTS HAVE ALREADY SAID NO. IN THE PAST 99, WHEN WE VOTED ON A STATEWIDE LOTTERY, THE POLLS SHOW THAT IT WAS GOING TO PASS, AND THEN IT DIDN’T. SO I THINK THAT TELLS YOU THERE’S A HISTORY OF REALLY A SILENT MAJORITY ON THIS ISSUE. BALLARD SAYS IT’S TIME FOR THE CITIZENS TO DECIDE THIS ISSUE. HE FEELS MANY MINDS MIGHT HAVE CHANGED SINCE WE VOTED ON A LOTTERY IN THE LAST CENTURY. PLEASE LET US HAVE A CHANCE TO VOTE. THEY CAN EITHER VOTE IT UP OR VOTE IT DOWN, BUT JUST THE CHANCE TO VOTE IS ALL THAT WE ASK FOR. NOW WE EXPECT THE BILLS TO BE INTRODUCED TOMORROW. SO A LOT OF STEPS TO GO THROUGH THOUGH BEFORE VOTERS MIGHT ACTUALLY GET A CHANCE TO HAVE THEIR VOICE HEARD ON THIS ISSUE. AND BRINGING THIS TYPE OF GAMING