Weekly Political Report: Gambling Bill, Senate Race and Secure Communities Act

Senate Begins Debate on Gambling Bill

On Sept. 26, the Senate began debate on legislation permitting expanded gaming in the Commonwealth. The legislation would license three regional, resort-style casinos and one slot parlor. After the two days of debate on Monday and Tuesday, the Senate had dealt with roughly half of the 182 amendments that were filed, adopting proposals that require casino operators to verify the immigration status of employees and barring individuals with casino interests from making political contributions to municipal officials. The Senate also adopted an amendment that prohibits lawmakers from working for a casino applicant for one year after leaving their posts. The Senate rejected a majority of the proposed amendments, including a proposal to count funds the state receives from casinos as “tax revenue,” which prevents it from being used to calculate a reduction in the state income tax.

Senate President Therese Murray (D-Plymouth) predicts debate will continue for about two more weeks. Debate is scheduled to resume Tuesday at 1 p.m.

Newton Mayor Setti Warren (D) Exits US Senate Race

At a press conference held at his house in Newton on Sept. 29, Newton Mayor Setti Warren announced that he would not continue his candidacy for the U.S. Senate seat currently occupied by Republican Scott Brown. Warren was one of seven candidates seeking the Democratic nomination for the upcoming election. The race has been reshaped in recent weeks by Elizabeth Warren, a Harvard Law School professor and former Obama Administration official, who has claimed much of media attention since she announced her candidacy.

Patrick Remains Wary of Secure Communities Act

Despite growing criticism from U.S. Senator Scott Brown and law enforcement officials within the state, Gov. Deval Patrick continues to withhold his support for the Secure Communities Act, a federal program that aims to identify and deport illegal immigrants convicted of crimes. However, Patrick’s position on the program has no bearing on the state’s timeline for being included in Secure Communities, which the Department of Homeland Security has insisted will be deployed in every state by 2013. Secure Communities is currently active in about 1,500 of the country’s 3,000 law enforcement districts, although only one district in Massachusetts – Suffolk County – is currently active. 

Amid the debate around Secure Communities, a bipartisan effort has emerged in the Legislature to crackdown on illegal immigration. A bill filed last week by Senator Richard Moore (D-Uxbridge) would require individuals appearing in court to have their immigration status verified. The proposal would also require the administration to produce a report to the Legislature detailing the steps being taken to help jurisdictions in Massachusetts deploy the Secure Communities program.