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Idaho Tribe Appeals Governor's Racing Machines Decision

The idea to ban instant horse racing terminals in Idaho isn’t dead. In the recently completed Idaho legislative session, lawmakers passed a bill that banned controversial instant horse racing machines. But Governor Butch Otter decided to veto that legislation.

Critics felt they were too much like slot machines, which are banned in the state. Now, the Coeur d'Alene Tribe, among those critics, has requested the Idaho Supreme Court to invalidate the veto because the governor didn't complete it within the required five-day time span.

Deborah Ferguson is an attorney representing the tribe, who says the cuto-ff date was Saturday, April 4th. Otter signed the veto Monday, April 6th.

Ferguson: “The concern is the legislature repealed the instant racing machines, and did so by a super-majority of both the House and Senate. So, I think that being the case and the intent of the legislature, I think Secretary of State Denney needs to put this law on the books.”

The appeal asks the Secretary of State to respond within a week, and oral arguments to be heard by the court the following week.

Steve was part of the Spokane Public Radio family for many years before he came on air in 1999. His wife, Laurie, produced Radio Ethiopia in the late 1980s through the '90s, and Steve used to “lurk in the shadowy world” of Weekend SPR. Steve has done various on air shifts at the station, including nearly 15 years as the local Morning Edition host. Currently, he is the voice of local weather and news during All Things Considerd, writing, editing, producing and/or delivering newscasts and features for both KPBX and KSFC. Aside from SPR, Steve ,who lives in the country, enjoys gardening, chickens, playing and listening to music, astronomy, photography, sports cars and camping.
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