Last week, the fate of all business in Minnesota’s legislature – from legalising sports gambling to resolving any other issues – was put at risk. According to Erin Murphy, Senate Majority leader, Senator Nicole Mitchell, was arrested in the early morning hours of Monday, 22 April. She has been removed from all committees and caucuses.
Mitchel was arrested on suspicion of burglary, which she described as a family matter that had been exaggerated. In a press release, she said that: “I’m confident that when the full facts are known, a completely different picture will be revealed.”
According to reports, Mitchell claimed that she was retrieving the ashes of her father who had died and checking on a member of family with Alzheimer’s. According to media reports, the arrest occurred in early morning on 22 April.
Mitchell’s detention has put the Minnesota Senate in a bind, no matter how the criminal case plays out. The senate now consists of 33 Democrats and 32 Republicans. Now that the Democrats hold the majority in Congress, they will need Republican support to pass any legislation. This could have a major impact on sports betting, horse racing in the past and other topics.
Bill Head to be heard in Tax Committee
Zack Stephenson, a Democratic Representative from the House of Delegates has been promoting legal sports gambling for over four years. He has another bill scheduled for hearing on Tuesday morning (30 April). Stephenson is currently working on a bill that will ban historical horse racing machines. The senate is also considering several bills that would legalize sports betting.
If either bill passes the House, Democrats do not have the majority they currently hold in the Senate. Stephenson’s bill would require Republican senators.
Stephenson is making progress
Stephenson brokered an agreement between the Indian tribes of California and charitable gaming earlier in this legislative session. It appeared at the time that it was moving a deal forward for online sports betting. The bill in the house would grant exclusivity to tribes and permit digital gaming platforms tied to tribal casinos.
Under the law, two state horsetracks would be eligible to receive 625,000 dollars but not wagering. Tracks have fought this bill vigorously. The tracks were included in previous senate legislation, which was a no-go for the tribal nations.
Lawsuits have muddied the path to legalized sports betting. The Minnesota Racing Commission’s decision to permit HHR and other factors have also hampered the process.
Mitchell serves as vice chair of the state, local and veteran elections and government committee in the Senate. This committee is currently assigned two bills that legalize sports betting.
Minnesota’s legislative sessions will end on the 20th of May.
