Florida House Blocks Casino Bill

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida lawmakers are rejecting a plan to bring three major casinos to South Florida.

A House panel on Friday postponed a vote on a bill that would have granted casino licenses to major developers that pledged to spend at least $2 billion on resorts.

The delay in the House is likely to doom the proposal. A Senate panel has already approved a version of the legislation but the measure has stalled as senators wait to see if there are enough votes in the House to pass a bill.

The casino legislation has been one of the most heavily lobbied bills of the 2012 session. Backers have contended it would create tens of thousands of jobs at a time when the state’s unemployment rate remains above the national average.

Source: Associated Press