Worcester County’s service groups officially gained the right to operate slot machines on Wednesday, when Gov. Martin O’Malley put his signiture on a bill passed by the General Assembly in this year’s session.
Celebrating that occasion in Ocean City were the American Legion and the Elks Lodge, with Sen. James Mathias (D- 38) making the first ceremonial slot machine pull at the Elks Lodge after the games were installed.
The events represented the finish line for Sarge Garlitz, commander of American Legion Post 166 and Jim Flaig, treasurer of the Ocean City Elks, after years of lobbying to get the law changed. Mathias worked with Delegate Norm Conway (D- 38B) for three years in the House of Delegates and finally succeeded passing legislation by sponsoring a companion bill during his first year in the state Senate.
Flaig and Garlitz were present when O’Malley signed House Bill 39 into law, which gives their organizations the same right that other Eastern Shore counties have enjoyed since 1987. The two service organizations also hustled to install their five allotted machines as soon as it was legal.
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