ST. PAUL (WJON News) — State lawmakers are not wasting any time on the sports gambling bill.

The legislature opens on January 14, but Senator John Marty will hold an informational hearing on online sports betting the week before. It will include experts on gambling addiction.

The author of the bill, Senator Matt Klein says his bill does include some protections.

“There are people, Democrats who are really concerned about gambling addiction, and family bankruptcy and devastation. I’ve put some real safeguards in the bill to try and answer those concerns. If we pass the bill as I’ve introduced it, it will be the safest sports wagering bill in the nation.”

He says Minnesota needs a sports gambling bill, because Minnesotans are already gambling in other ways.

“The argument I always make is people are already doing it in illegal and unregulated markets, usually offshore markets. That’s only going to increase If we want a responsible and safe and taxable sports wagering process in Minnesota, we need to pass a bill.”

Klein says after coming so close to passing the bill last session, he plans to introduce it again on the first day of the new session. Klein says the biggest hurdle to passing the bill is he’s facing opposition from both Democrats and Republicans.