On February 4, the Alabama State Legislature came into session for the first time this year. Discussions quickly turned to gambling, and what needs to be done to protect the state from the influence of gambling interests.

To begin the session, Sen. Jim McClendon, the Republican from Birmingham, presented a bill that would prohibit any gambling interests from giving money to state lawmakers. The bill also included banning contributions to both the Governor and Lt. Governor. This would ban all candidates to state offices from taking money from gambling interests as well.

McClendon pointed out that these gambling interests have already given lawmakers hundreds of thousands of dollars, a practice that needs to come to an end. “I am not making claims of corruption,” he explained, “but we must be very wary of the appearance of corruption. I’m not making claims of undue influence based on monetary contributions, but we must be very wary of the appearance of undue influence.”

Lawmakers are not the only ones who are concerned. Alabama Governor Kay Ivey announced on February 5t hat she will not consider meeting with Poarch Band of Creek Indians to expand gambling in the state unless she is provided with hard numbers about how much money the state would receive in tax revenue.