ep. Micheal Zalewski said he was not calling DFS legislation for a vote during a House Judiciary Committee hearing held on Sunday evening.
That means the legislature will not attempt to pass the bill before adjourning on Tuesday.
Zalewski spoke on Sunday, saying he was not going to call the bill for a vote in order to “fight another day”
The legislature had been considering whether to clarify existing state law and render moot a negative opinion issued by Attorney General Lisa Madigan. The failure of the bill to be passed puts the focus back on court battles between Madigan, DraftKings and FanDuel.
A contentious hearing of the same committee took place last Wednesday, and the bill was not put up for a vote then. Instead, the committee considered the bill — H 3655 — in the context of an informational hearing with witness testimony.
Zalewski spoke on Sunday, saying he was not going to call the bill for a vote in order to “fight another day.”
He said that it was “unfortunate” what the debate over DFS regulation had turned into in Illinois. The casino lobby in the state had emerged as a vocal opponent to the bill, and allegations of lobbying impropriety had further muddied the waters for the bill’s chances.
Last week, the bill was passed by the Senate in a close 32-22 vote.
