Marsh will not introduce gambling bill in second special session

Sen. Del Marsh

Alabama Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh won't propose his bill to allow a statewide vote on a lottery and casinos during the second special session.

Another Republican senator, Paul Sanford of Huntsville, said he will introduce a different lottery proposal for the first time.

The bill Marsh introduced during the regular session and first special session was a proposed constitutional amendment to allow a lottery and casinos at the state's four greyhound tracks.

Gov. Robert Bentley has called the gambling issue a distraction to legislators trying to resolve a shortfall in the General Fund budget.

Marsh's office commissioned a report from Auburn University at Montgomery that said his gambling plan would raise $400 million a year, about $330 million of that from a lottery, and that the casinos would create 11,000 jobs.