Luker brings back new version of bill limiting credit card betting, earlier defeated in House

Less than two weeks after the House killed his bill to ban the use of credit or debit cards to operate “historical horse racing” betting machines on a 36-29 vote, Rep. Lynn Luker, R-Boise, has introduced a new version. The previous, failed bill, HB 380, said, “Historic horse racing terminals shall be operated only by cash or cash vouchers and shall not be operated by use of debit or credit cards or any means of debt accumulate.” The new bill, HB 489, is identical, except that the sentence is cut before “and shall not.”

The House debate before HB 380 was killed focused on government intrusion, with Rep. Christy Perry, R-Nampa, challenging the House, “Do you believe in limited government, or do you not?” She said, “Government does not belong in my pocketbook. It doesn’t belong telling me how I can spend or use a credit card, how I can use a debit card, how I can or even if I should use cash. Those are very personal decisions that should be left up to an individual.”