House passes bill extending dog racing

LINCOLN, R.I. (WPRI) - Greyhound racing at Twin River has another shot at survival.

On Friday afternoon, the House overwhelming approved a bill that would extend the number of racing days from 125 to 200. The Rhode Island Greyhound Owners Association praised the House for passing the bill that will keep 225 Rhode Island workers off the unemployment roles.

The bill now heads to the Senate for approval. Twin River said it wanted to end dog racing in August, in an effort to save money. The Lincoln slot parlor filed for bankruptcy protection earlier this week.

“The effort by the House today keeps 225 Rhode Island workers working and protects millions of dollars in revenue for the state budget. We commend our lawmakers for choosing to protect jobs and taxpayer revenue rather than lining the pockets of the big banks,” said Jennifer Bramley, RIGOA spokesperson.

“The Rhode Island Greyhound Owners Association is a good corporate citizen to our neighbors and a strong and productive partner for the state of Rhode Island. We are please that today the House of Representatives made a loud and clear statement that greyhound racing provides significant value to this state.”