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Thursday, September 25, 1997

Saying 'ban all machines,' senator blames governor's staff

AUSTIN (AP) -- State Sen. Jerry Patterson says he opposes casino-like video gambling machines and shares Gov. George W. Bush's desire to outlaw them.

But the Republican lawmaker on Wednesday blamed members of the Republican governor's staff for the failure of anti-gambling machine legislation earlier this year.

"I share the governor's desire to outlaw gambling machines in Texas," Patterson told a news conference.

"I have always opposed casino gambling and even have serious reservations about the lottery because I view it as a cruel tax paid by those who can least afford it -- low-income Texans," he said.

Bush on Thursday plans to announce a new task force to write a bill for the 1999 Legislature that would resolve questions prosecutors contend make it difficult to crack down on the video slots. He also will announce a grant program to help prosecutors use the current law to go after gambling devices.

Known as eight-liners, the machines are estimated to generate more than $100 million annually in Texas, with more than 20,000 in use at truck stops, convenience stores, veterans' halls and other sites, industry observers say.

This year, a Bush-backed legislative effort died in a filibuster led by Patterson, R-Pasadena.

The senator, a candidate for the GOP land commissioner nomination, said he filibustered because the final version of the measure to reach the Senate would have outlawed the machines in American Legion and VFW halls but allowed them to remain in a large nightclub operation in Dallas and Houston.

He said the nightclubs would have been able to continue giving away televisions on their premises, but veterans' groups couldn't give away $5 Wal-Mart gift certificate.

"I ... had to kill the final version (of the bill) because it was no longer an anti-gambling bill but a special-interest bill," Patterson said.

"There are two fundamental issues here. One is equal protection under law. The other is gambling. I support equal protection of the law. And I oppose gambling. It's very, very simple."

He also said Bush's staff failed to tell the governor about an amendment Patterson proposed to outlaw all machines, regardless of location or ownership.

"The fault lies ... with the governor's legislative staff, who mishandled the issue, mishandled the bill," Patterson said.

Bush said he wanted "to clarify the law in the last legislative session. A handful of senators thought otherwise, and it did not become the law. I will bring the issue back up again."

Karen Hughes, spokeswoman for the governor, said the governor's staff believes the proposed amendment "would have killed the bill because it would have banned every kid's game in Texas -- from pinball to Pacman. Our intent was not to ban the little kids' bowling games. Our intent was to ban illegal gambling machines.

"Gov. Bush sides with Sen. Patterson on most issues, but strongly resents his revisionist history on this issue," she said.