Beshear says lawmakers have time to pass gambling

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) -- Gov. Steve Beshear is expecting a proposal to amend the state Constitution to allow casino-style gambling to be filed soon.

The second-term governor told reporters Wednesday plenty of time remains in this year's legislative session for the House and Senate to vote to get a proposed constitutional amendment on the ballot this fall.

Lawmakers are just more than one-third of the way through the session that's slated to end in April. Legislative and congressional redistricting has occupied most of their time so far, and both issues remain the hot topic in Frankfort.

Beshear said his gambling proposal, which has yet to be introduced, is just one of several issues forced to the back burner while lawmakers wrestle with the once-a-decade chore of redrawing political districts.