Thursday, May 2, 2024–2:48 p.m.

-David Crowder, WRGA News-

The Floyd County Commission appears to be ready to vote on a local coin-operated amusement machine ordinance.

Assistant Floyd County Attorney Chris Jackson told the county public safety committee on Thursday that local governments are limited by the state in what can go into an ordinance.

“This is never going to be as much of an ordinance as we want it to be,” he said. “There are about eleven things we can do and we intend to do every one of them, and as much as we think we can do without opening ourselves up to certain lawsuits.”

The ordinance would require a license. The one issue that still remains up in the air is whether or not there would be a license fee.

“I really want us to figure out how we can charge,” said County Commissioner Rhonda Wallace. “In order to do the business license, I feel like we need to have some sort of fee. I’m not saying it has to be a large amount, but if you don’t pay anything, people just don’t take it seriously.”

The ordinance also establishes minimum distance requirements from schools, churches, and neighborhoods. It stipulates that there be no more than six machines per store. State law says no more than nine machines. There could also be more local enforcement of a state law dealing with gross receipts.

“If they are deriving more than 50 percent of their gross receipts out of COAM machines, they are in violation of state law, and they are going to be in violation of local law,” Jackson said. “It feels like that out to be an area that has teeth. We’re not in charge of enforcing that, the Georgia Lottery is. What I’d like to see is for us to at least have the ability to enforce that.”

Provisions regarding signage and a requirement to keep machines in plain view, along with an inspection requirement are also included. The ordinance would also create a definition for loitering.

“I know we have issues with that relate to prostitution and other things that are in these areas,” Jackson said. “Well, if somebody is standing around and they are not playing or they are not buying anything, that’s a violation. We can cite them just for that, even if we cannot prove they are up to something else.”

Both Commissioners Wallace and Scotty Hancock voted to forward the ordinance to the full county commission for consideration.