A bill that would allow for legalized sports betting in Iowa remains alive for the rest of the Legislative session.

Last week, the Senate Ways and Means Committee approved Senate File 366 and will send it to the full Senate floor for debate. District 24 Senator Jerry Behn serves on that committee and voted in favor of the bill. He says that committee was responsible for setting the tax rate, licensing fees and other financial aspects for sports betting to be regulated through casinos with the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission. The tax rate is the same that the House previously approved in their bill, House File 748, of 6.75-percent.

However, while Behn felt establishing fees for sports betting to be regulated was important to get it out of committee and onto the Senate floor for debate, he tells Raccoon Valley Radio he intends to vote against the bill if it comes up for a vote.

“Anytime you put the state’s stamp of approval on gambling, or smoking, or any (of) that sort of stuff, I think you get more of it. So I’m not in favor of increased gambling. I still think the gambling itself, I still think takes away of discretionary income, I still think it takes away from Main Street businesses. Overall I don’t think it’s a good way to generate revenue for the state.”

Those who would like to provide feedback to Behn about the bill can contact him via email at jerry.behn@legis.iowa.gov. To hear more from Behn about last week’s legislative activities in the Senate, listen to today’s Community State Bank in Paton Let’s Talk Greene County program.