Senate committee approves table games

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives recessed Wednesday without tackling any major budget-related bills. But a Senate committee approved a measure legalizing table games at Pennsylvania casinos.

The Pennsylvania House of Representatives recessed Wednesday without tackling any major budget-related bills. But a Senate committee approved a measure legalizing table games at Pennsylvania casinos.

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[audio: 090930sdbudget.mp3]

During a brief session, House members debated and voted on a resolution condemning domestic abuse, honored a Capitol staffer headed to Afghanistan, and declared November “Patriotic Music Month.”

But no budget items were discussed. House Democratic spokesman Brett Marcy says that doesn’t mean the day was wasted.

Marcy: There’s an awful lot of work going on behind the scenes that you don’t see on the TV screen on PCN. There’s an awful of work happening at the staff level to try and get all these bills in a position where they can run and where we can move forward on this budget once we’re ready to roll.

Marcy says the House will be in session this weekend. Across the rotunda, the Senate Community, Economic and Recreational Development Committee approved a bill legalizing table games, though chairwoman Jane Earll said the vote was procedural, and meant to speed up the budget process.

She says Senators will debate and amend the measure at a later point.