Giving Prince George’s County voters the power to decide whether to allow a slots casino in the county may be permissible by the state constitution after all.

State Sen. Douglas J.J. Peters (D-Dist. 23) of Bowie has put forward a bill calling for a voter referendum on whether slots should be permitted as well as requiring that the measure get a majority of county votes as well as statewide votes.

An opinion issued last week by the office of state Attorney General Douglas Gansler indicated that the bill as written would violate the Maryland Constitution, which does not allow statewide laws to be put to local referendum.

But a second opinion, requested by Peters and issued Wednesday, found that such a measure would be constitutionally sound if it were framed as a constitutional amendment.

While regular legislation on expanding gaming could not be put to a conditional referendum, a constitutional amendment that affects only one county could, wrote Assistant Attorney General Bonnie Kirkland.

Peters, who opposes slots but feels the issue should be decided by voters, said he is having the necessary amendments prepared, and expects to attach them to the bill when it comes before the Senate’s Budget and Taxation Committee Wednesday.

Peters did not expect the changes to the bill to affect its impact or intent.

dleaderman@gazette.net