Weed yes, gambling no?

There is always great cynical amusement — and certainly exasperating frustrations — when Florida's legislators gather for their annual spring fling. You never know what dumb surprises are going to end up becoming law.

If only all lawmakers would follow Naples Sen. Garrett Richter. He says his first priority is: “Do no harm.”

But surely, some of Richter's colleagues and supporters may be wondering why he is the lead lawmaker on three bills that are part of a package that, if approved, could expand gambling in Florida — including the opening of mega-casino resorts, one each in Miami-Dade and Broward counties.

One reason Richter is shepherding this is the fact that he is chairman of the Senate Gaming Committee. And as such that puts him in the center of the ring to try to craft and steer legislation that would bring Florida's patchwork gambling laws into a comprehensive set of rules.

And that process has led Richter's committee to where it will be Thursday, March 3, when it begins consideration of Senate Bills 7050, 7052 and 7054:
• SB 7050: It would create a new section of the constitution requiring that any expansion of gambling be authorized by a constitutional amendment or by a legislative act, either of which would require voter approval.
• SB 7052: This is the monster bill, more than 400 pages, creating a new Department of Gaming Control and a Gaming Control Board that would provide oversight for all gambling in the state.
One of the most crucial pieces of this bill is, to allow casinos in South Florida, the governor would be required to renegotiate the state's “compact” with the Seminole Indian tribe. That compact gives the Seminoles a nice monopoly on casino gambling in Florida, to the point its Hard Rock casino in Tampa is one of the most profitable casinos in North America.
• SB 7054: It would exempt the Gaming Department from public records laws in the licensing and application process of gaming companies.