Georgia House Committee set to vote on sports betting legislation amid education funding debate

The Georgia House Higher Education Committee is expected to vote today, Wednesday on the advancement of online sports betting legislation to the House Rules Committee. This pivotal step will determine whether proposals to expand Georgia’s gambling industry will reach the House floor before the conclusion of the 2024 session on Thursday.

During a recent session, members of the House Higher Education Committee engaged in a one-hour debate focusing on how sports gambling revenue could potentially benefit education if legalized by Georgia voters in the upcoming November election, Georgia Recorder reported.

Scheduled for discussion on Wednesday’s higher education agenda are Senate Bill 386, which outlines a framework for Georgia's sports gambling industry, and Senate Resolution 579, aimed at establishing a constitutional amendment referendum for voter consideration regarding sports gambling legalization.

With Georgia's general assembly scheduled to adjourn on Thursday, lawmakers have a tight window to either pass the bill through the full House and return it to the Senate or convene a conference committee.

The proposed legislative package comprising SR 579, a constitutional amendment, and SB 386, the enabling legislation, aims to legalize online sports betting in Georgia, potentially involving the state’s professional sports teams. However, a recent hearing on the constitutional amendment revealed a lack of consensus among lawmakers regarding the specifics of legalized sports betting in the state.

Monday’s discussion primarily focused on the allocation of funds generated from online sports betting, with committee members deliberating on whether revenue could fully fund Georgia’s pre-K program, include provisions for school lunches, and address needs-based scholarships.

Democratic lawmakers have advocated for allocating a portion of sports gambling profits towards initiatives such as funding free school lunches and historically Black colleges and universities. Additionally, they have expressed support for reinstating language prioritizing full funding for pre-K classes, as included in previous Senate legislation.

Representative Marcus Wiedower, a Watkinsville Republican, has proposed a distribution plan for the projected yearly revenue of $100 million or more, mirroring the allocation model of the state’s educational lottery program. This plan encompasses funding for HOPE college scholarships, pre-K education, and capital improvements.

A proposed amendment within the House committee seeks to increase the state's tax revenue share from sports gambling from 20% to 25%.

While acknowledging the potential for diverse spending ideas from General Assembly members, Wiedower emphasized the necessity of delineating funding priorities.

“I didn’t want to turn this into an Oprah affair and everyone gets a car and then what happens nobody really gets anything,” Wiedower, who is carrying the sports betting legislation in the House, was quoted as saying in the report.

Minority Whip Sam Park raised concerns regarding the absence of funding for needs-based higher education in the amendment resolution.

Representative Jasmine Clark, a Lilburn Democrat, proposed reinstating language mandating full funding for voluntary pre-K slots before allocating funds to other educational programs.

Meanwhile, Committee Chairman Chuck Martin highlighted the challenge of mandating full funding for pre-K due to its evolving funding status within the state budget.

For his part, Athens Republican Senator Bill Cowsert, the sponsor of SR 579, expressed disagreement with the removal of pre-K prioritization and the altered allocation percentages for gambling prevention, addiction treatment, and sports event promotion.

Cowsert underscored the various iterations of sports betting legislation that have failed to pass in previous sessions and emphasized the significance of the current legislative opportunity.

“I’m an advocate of needs-based funding. I think it helps lift the entire state but I’ve also said I’m not fighting over the exact details of where this money goes because I don’t think it’s a significant amount to move the needle on any subject matter,” Cowsert said, as per the report.

Wiedower expressed support for empowering Georgia voters to decide on the legalization of sports betting, citing the need for regulatory measures in an already prevalent online industry.

Cowsert urged the House to pass the substitute sports betting legislation before the session concludes on Thursday, emphasizing the requisite two-thirds majority support for the constitutional referendum bill to pass.