The Iowa Senate passed its sports betting and fantasy sports bill last week. The bill passed 31-18 on the floor with one Senator absent.
Senate File 617 paves the way toward sports wagering and fantasy sports in Iowa. The issue is now in the House’s court.
Eighteen senators voted against the bill.
Democrats who voted against it included Joe Bolkcom (D-Iowa City), Claire Celsi (D-West Des Moines), Eric Giddens (D-Cedar Falls), Rob Hogg (D-Cedar Rapids), Herman Quirmbach (D-Ames) and Zach Wahls (D-Coralville).
Republicans who voted against the bill included Jerry Behn (R-Boone), Jim Carlin (R-Sioux City), Jake Chapman (R-Adel), Mark Costello (R-Imogene), Randy Feenstra (R-Hull), Julian Garrett (R-Indianola), Ken Rozenboom (R-Oskaloosa), Jason Schultz (R-Schleswig), Mark Segebart (R-Vail), Amy Sinclair (R-Allerton), Zach Whiting (R-Spirit Lake) and Brad Zaun (R-Urbandale).
Four of those Republicans who voted no on the floor voted yes in the Ways and Means committee, however. The bill passed out of committee 10-6, meaning if those four Republicans who voted no on the floor would’ve voted no in committee, it would’ve died.
Those four Republicans who supported the bill in committee and then voted against it on the floor were Feenstra, chair of the Ways and Means committee, Behn, Carlin and Schultz.
Democrat Sen. Pam Jochum voted no in committee, but then voted yes on the floor.
Republican Sen. Dennis Guth (R-Klemme) was absent.
