CHARLESTON – After sitting through a couple hours of budget presentations, the Senate Finance Committee zipped through a handful of bills that had passed out of the Senate last year only to die in the House.
Among them was SB 24, which passed the Senate unanimously last year. It requires the Legislature to provide money to local health departments for employee raises whenever the Legislature also approves raises for state employees.
Members learned that because this died last year, health board employees didn’t get raises when state employees received their 5 percent hike. The estimated cost is less than $1 million.
The committee passed it unanimously and sent it to the Senate floor.
Also headed to the Senate floor is SB 28, which passed the full Senate 26-5. It removes the current $200,000 limitation on the amount collected by counties through the hotel occupancy tax that may be used for medical care and emergency services.
Members also sent down SB 27. It removes the current law restricting Keno games to bars and clubs, opening it up to be offered by any licensed lottery retailer. Last year’s version passed 28-5.
Committee counsel said the bill could generate about $3 million in new money annually, but after various deductions, the state would net about $592,000.
Sen. John Unger, D-Berkeley, raised the concern that this might open up Keno games to underage players. Committee counsel explained that the law already restricts lottery play to ages 18 and up.
Unger also expressed concerns about enforcement of the age limit, but joined his colleagues in approving it.
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