Remember the casino bill?

You know, the one taken by a conference committee behind closed doors a couple of weeks back? Well, it is done. From the State House News:

House and Senate negotiators agreed to a pact Monday that sets the stage for final approval of legislation to bring three casinos and a slots-only facility to Massachusetts.
The bill, which is expected to easily clear both branches of the Legislature, could reach Gov. Deval Patrick’s desk as early as Tuesday afternoon, and Patrick has indicated he supports the broad framework of the bill. If lawmakers pass the plan this week, Patrick would then have 10 days to sign, amend or veto it.

So. A piece of legislation concerning a matter of great public interest and no small amount of public controversy was released late Monday night and will likely be voted on and passed to the Governor's desk... by Tuesday afternoon.

Legislature to public: Another flip of the bird

This schedule reflects, of course, the legislature's rational and considered expectation that the many thousands of citizens interested in the issue will stay up late into the night reviewing the (as yet unavailable) legislation, and will present themselves bright and early at the State House, ready to share their views with their elected representatives - who will of course be eager to take those views appropriately into account when casting their final votes.

Or maybe it just reflects the same arrogant contempt for the public with which our one-party state government approaches most everything it does.

See you at the slots, folks.