Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear's revised bill seeking a constitutional amendment to authorize expanded gaming in the state made progress on Wednesday

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According to a report in The Courier-Journal, Senate Bill 151 was approved in the Senate State & Local Government Committee with a vote of 7-4 and will now go to the full Senate for approval. If the constitutional amendment receives three-fifths approval by both the Senate and then House, the amendment will be placed on a referendum ballot for voter approval in the general election.

“For the first time, a Senate committee has approved a bill that would allow our citizens to decide the future of expanded gaming in our state," said Beshear in a statement. "It’s a significant step and shows that these senators are listening to the desire of Kentuckians to vote on this issue. I urge the full Senate to approve this bill, and I call on all Kentuckians to contact their senators to let them know that it is time to let the people vote.”

While the revised bill no longer guarantees authorized casinos to be placed at racetracks, it attempts to protect the horse racing industry by preventing casinos from being located within 60 miles of a racetrack.

(With files from The Courier-Journal)