Maryland Budget Negotiations and iDEA Efforts Ongoing
The Senate hearing on March 26 was uneventful, but budget negotiations are ongoing. iDEA submitted testimony for the record. The recent Baltimore bridge collapse has understandably created even tighter finances for the state.
Bill sponsor, Del. Atterbeary is one of the budget negotiators, so we have a strong voice in the room. However, iGaming is not (yet) being considered because of opposition from the Senate President and the Chair of Sen. Budget and Tax Cmte.
iDEA is coordinating with in-state industry stakeholders on ways to advance the bill in the Senate.
We are tactfully trying to insert iGaming into the current budget negotiations understanding that there is a lot of sensitivity around the bridge tragedy. Money from iGaming must be used for education, so it could not be used to directly address transportation infrastructure shortfalls.
We should know the fate of the legislation by early next week.