TALLAHASSEE — Legislative leaders are in behind-the-scenes talks with the Seminole Tribe of Florida in hopes of nailing down a new gambling agreement.
There’s a lot at stake but, as in the past, time is running out before the traditional hanky drop signifying the end of the legislative session on May 3.
The Senate has erased from its proposed budget about $350 million in annual payments the tribe makes under a 2010 gambling agreement, known as a “compact.” A key provision of the compact that gave the tribe the “exclusive” rights to offer banked card games, such as blackjack, expired five years ago.
Siding with the Seminoles in a legal fight, a federal judge ruled in 2016 that what are known as “designated player” games offered by numerous pari-mutuel facilities throughout the state breached the tribe’s exclusivity over banked card games. Under a deal with former Gov. Rick Scott, the tribe has continued to make payments to the state.
But that agreement expires at the end of May, jeopardizing payments from the tribe.
That’s why Senate President Bill Galvano — the Bradenton Republican who was a key negotiator in the 2010 deal — didn’t include the money in the upper chamber’s proposed spending plan for next fiscal year.
Sen. Wilton Simpson, who’s slated to succeed Galvano as president after the November 2020 elections, is taking the lead in gambling talks. The Trilby Republican met with a representative of the tribe this week, Galvano told reporters Wednesday.
“They’ve gone back to regroup, but there’s not a formal exchange of offers at this point,” Galvano, R-Bradenton, said.
A gambling agreement is always a complicated endeavor. This year’s landscape includes online betting, sports betting, designated player games and other issues.
“That issue has come up. Nobody in the Senate, certainly not myself or Chair Simpson, has agreed that online gaming is something that the tribe should have,” the president said.
Rumors had been flying in the Capitol about a do-or-die Wednesday deadline for an agreement to be reached if legislators were to vote on such a pact before they go home in May.
Galvano said “it’s getting very close” to being late in the game, but he didn’t rule out the possibility of protracted post-session deal-making.
“We’re midway through (session), but those types of negotiations are valid to continue even if we go past session and into the summer. I think if we continue to operate in good faith, as I’ve mentioned to you all in the past, there are things that are important to the tribe, and we’ll see where we go. But in an abundance of caution and in prudence, we’re not going to incorporate dollars (in the budget) at this time that aren’t guaranteed,” he said.
DeSantis offers sure bet
As the House and Senate get ready to negotiate a budget, it might be a safe bet that Gov. Ron DeSantis will be watching with his veto pen.
“If there are things that I consider to be extravagant or pork projects, you probably would end up OK to place wagers that I’ll veto that,” DeSantis told reporters Tuesday. “If it’s things that I think would be beneficial to a larger constituency — rather than just one little piece where they’re trying to deliver pork or a special interest or something — then I’m willing to look at it.”
The veto threat came as DeSantis noted both chambers have met his $625 million proposal for environmental funding.
“I’ll tell you this, I’m in a much better place to engineer good outcomes for taxpayers in Florida having the line-item veto,” DeSantis said. “The Legislature, they’re well-aware that I have that. And I think I’ve shown in other areas, when I have authority to make a difference, I’m not afraid to wield that.”