State lawmakers to consider skill games legislation

RICHMOND, Va. (WDBJ) - Members of the Virginia Senate are returning to Richmond Tuesday. They are revisiting controversial changes to a program that helps some military families pay for higher education.

But that’s not all that’s on the agenda. Lawmakers have also introduced two bills that would authorize skill games to operate legally in the Commonwealth once again.

Owners of convenience stores, truck stops and other small businesses in Virginia say skill games helped keep them afloat during challenging times, and they’ve been pressing for legislation that would regulate and tax the machines and allow them to operate legally.

Skill games legislation cleared the General Assembly earlier this year, but Governor Youngkin vetoed the bill. The governor and supporters of the bill weren’t able to craft a compromise during the budget session in May, but said they would continue talking.

Now supporters are taking another swing at the issue.

Democratic Senators Louise Lucas and Aaron Rouse are sponsoring legislation they say would address many of the governor’s concerns.

“We heard from the governor loud and clear about the concerns that he had concerning lottery, making sure that is the authority, making sure we have a centralized accounting system, so that all of the revenue that’s generated from skill games are accounted for, making sure that there’s a local component to where localities have the option to opt out to whether or not they allow skill games inside their community,” Rouse told WDBJ7 in an interview.

Another bill introduced by Republican Sen. Christie New Craig also addresses many of the governor’s concerns. And it focuses in part on more rigorous enforcement to eliminate illegal electronic games.

Franklin County Sen. Bill Stanley has worked with Sen. New Craig on the legislation, and said dealing with illegal games is a critical component.

“If we do nothing, then these games continue to proliferate, they continue to take advantage of the consumer, and we lose valuable tax revenues, so we need to do something, because doing nothing absolutely allows these illegal games to continue,” Stanley said.

Lawmakers said their bills could generate hundreds of millions of dollars in additional state revenues.

Groups including the Family Foundation and Virginians Against Neighborhood Slot Machines oppose skill games in any form.

And the big question mark is Governor Youngkin’s current thinking on the issue, and whether supporters of skill games have done enough to craft a compromise he would be willing to support.

Monday afternoon, the Governor’s office released the following statement from Press Secretary Christian Martinez:

“Governor Youngkin has been clear that he will not consider any other legislation until the General Assembly has done the right thing for our military heroes, first responders and their families by fully repealing and reversing the VMSDEP (Virginia Military Survivors & Dependents Education Program) waiver changes. The Governor made his position on skill games legislation clear in his amendments and has indicated a willingness to continue the discussion, but only after the VMSDEP issue has been resolved.”