Gambling bill DOA in Senate

The Senate Judiciary Committee yesterday killed a measure that would have bumped Arizona's legal gambling age from 18 to 21, precluding teens and 20-year-olds from patronizing horse and dog tracks, tribal casinos and the state lottery.

"Send them to war, send them to Iraq, but don't give them a quarter for the slot machine? I vote no," Sen. Ruth Solomon, D-Tucson, told the committee while explaining her stance.

The measure, House Bill 2134, would not have been enacted until 2004, when existing tribal gambling compacts expire.

Solomon was not alone in her opposition, as the committee vote ended split across party lines, 4-3.

The bill was, however, one of the first measures to pass through the House this session, as representatives voted 35-23 in favor of the measure in late January.

Rep. Karen Johnson, R-Mesa, who sponsored the bill and spearheaded the effort to increase Arizona's legal gambling age, appeared puzzled about the Senate committee vote.

"I'm surprised that the people in the Senate wouldn't want this to happen," she said.

In response to Solomon's vote explanation, Johnson said serving in the military and betting are different issues.

"Going to war and voting are character-building activities," she said. "Gambling is a vice."

During a January interview, Johnson likened gambling to drinking and said both should have an age restriction of 21.

Sen. John Kaites, who chairs the Judiciary committee, also was surprised at the outcome, as he had anticipated easy passage.

"If I knew the votes weren't there, I would have called the sponsor (Johnson) and let her work for the votes," the Glendale Republican said.

Some UA student gamblers expressed opposition to the proposal in January, saying it infringed on their rights as voting adults.

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