WHEREAS, The gambling industry has repeatedly attempted to remove by referendum or constitutional convention the lottery prohibition in the Tennessee constitution;

WHEREAS, The Tennessee Attorney General has repeatedly ruled that the word "lottery" in our state constitution refers to games of chance including state-run lotteries, casino gambling, video poker, and slot machines;

WHEREAS, In 1996 the Tennessee Legislature passed by one vote Senate Bill 927, allowing each county in Tennessee to hold a referendum to legalize off-track betting on horse races;

WHEREAS, In 1998 the Tennessee Legislature refused to reinstate the Racing Commission which would oversee off-track betting on horse races, and as a result, the Tennessee Attorney General ruled that no race track and thus no off-track gambling could take place legally in Tennessee as long as there is no Racing Commission;

WHEREAS, The Memphis gambling interests have appealed this ruling and continue their efforts to legalize a track in the Memphis area, and subsequently open off-track betting parlors across the state of Tennessee;

WHEREAS, We have spoken to the gambling issue in years past and our position is as firm as ever, just as God’s Word is as firm as ever on this issue;

BE IT RESOLVED, That we the messengers to the 1998 Tennessee Baptist Convention, call on Gov. Sundquist, Lt. Gov. Wilder, Speaker Naifeh, and all the members of the Tennessee Legislature to oppose any expansion of legalized gambling in Tennessee. By copy of this resolution, we request these officials to:

· Oppose any referendum or constitutional convention which would remove the protection provided in our constitution against various forms of gambling

· Oppose legalization of video poker

· Oppose any reinstatement of the Tennessee Racing Commission

· Support the repeal of SB 927, the 1996 simulcast gambling expansion act, so that a racetrack will not be economically feasible for any gambling interests

· Refuse any political contributions from gambling-related interests.