By JOSELYN KING
The Intelligencer and Wheeling News-Register
WHEELING, W.Va. — Legislation that would discontinue West Virginia’s Greyhound Breeding Fund will be discussed again today as lawmakers seek more answers regarding the bill.
Senate Bill 437 is listed again at the top of the Senate Finance Committee’s agenda as members are scheduled to meet at 3 p.m. today — a time that could change as action kicks up in the last weeks of the West Virginia Legislature’s session.
SB 437 would discontinue the West Virginia Racing Commission’s special account known as the West Virginia Greyhound Breeding Development Fund, and transfer money from the fund into the state’s Excess Lottery Revenue Fund for appropriation by the Legislature.
Some of the money would be withheld and deposited into another account to provide for greyhound adoption programs and the spaying and neutering of canines.
It would also eliminate the requirement that a video lottery licensee at a dog track hold a racing license to renew a video lottery license or table games license.
Gov. Jim Justice has proposed eliminating the $15 million in payouts expected to be made to dog breeders next year by the state as the state seeks to eliminate a projected $455 million deficit for next year.
The greyhound funds result from tax revenue generated by video lottery machines at the Wheeling Island Hotel-Casino-Racetrack and other tracks in West Virginia, with a portion of the dollars being redistributed back to the greyhound breeders.
During a Senate Finance Committee Tuesday, Sen. Ron Stollings, D-Boone, asked counsel what potential job losses might result from eliminating the breeder’s fund. Counsel did not know, and indicated a study likely was never requested.
Ron Brady, an employee at the Mardi Gras Casino and Resort in Cross Lanes, asked what would become of the pension plan for breeders if the fund were eliminated. An answer to that question was not available, either.
The committee later agreed to hold off on voting on SB 437 until today.
In a related action, members agreed to advance Senate Bill 281 to a full vote before the Senate. The bill would increase the number of limited video lottery machines allowed at locations operated by fraternal organizations from 10 to 12, and at retail locations from five to seven.
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