Gambling opponents watching a raffle bill in the Oklahoma Legislature

A state lottery bill died in the Oklahoma Legislature last week - but some are worried another bill - that's still alive - could do the same thing. <br><br>News on Six reporter Emory Bryan was at

Monday, March 25th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

A state lottery bill died in the Oklahoma Legislature last week - but some are worried another bill - that's still alive - could do the same thing.

News on Six reporter Emory Bryan was at the State Capitol in Oklahoma City Monday and says the opponents of gambling keep a close watch on any effort to expand gambling - even if seems harmless. That's why a bill that would legalize church raffles - has drawn out the well-organized opposition to a state lottery.

What sounds like an auction is actually the State House deciding how to spend tax money. They have a clear idea of what they want - but few ideas on how to get the money - in a budget year when even basic services are in jeopardy. Some - like State Senator Frank Shurden, Democrat from Henryetta, think a lottery would help. "It's been going on in our history from the beginning, and I don't know why people say itâ€™s so evil, gambling is not a good deal, but people are going to gamble. There's millions of dollars that go out of state every year."

The State Senate rejected the latest plan for a lottery, which voters turned down at the polls in 1994. Oklahoma's Baptist Convention opposed it then - and still does. Ray Sanders with the Oklahoma Baptist Convention: "So it's already lost once and I guess if you bring something up enough it will pass, but I don't think so this time." Though the lottery bill is dead, a measure to legalize "raffles" is still alive.

The leading gambling opponent in the legislature thinks one is as bad as the other. State Representative Forrest Claunch, Republican from Midwest City: "If we pass a raffle bill, we might as well pass a lottery bill - we will have opened the door to class 3 gambling in Oklahoma - the native Americans will do whatever they want, because by public policy we will have said that's OK."

The raffle bill is out of the Senate - and headed to the House, but it's considered to be dead on arrival. It was authored by Senator Shurden, who supports the lottery - and gambling opponents think that's no coincidence.