WHEELING - Gov. Joe Manchin will now decide whether West Virginia's racetracks can entice slot machine players with "free play" credits and whether gambling will be permitted at all at The Greenbrier resort.

Prior to today's conclusion of the regular session of state Legislature, members approved a measure that would allow the state's four racetracks to offer free play credits just as casinos do in nearby Pennsylvania. The legislation passed the House of Delegates on Friday by a vote of 84-15.

A listing of those voting for and against the bill was not immediately available.

Senate Bill 575, also known as the "Greenbrier Bill," now is on its way to Gov. Joe Manchin to be signed into law. The provision establishing free play credits at racetracks is contained within the legislation, which was aimed at setting rules and tax rates for a possible casino at the historic Greenbrier. It would distribute proceeds among state programs and county and local governments. It would also help The Greenbrier recoup employee benefits costs after it filed for bankruptcy last month.

Critics objected to the provision legalizing free play.

Racetracks in the Northern Panhandle had sought to offer free play credits as they scramble to compete with casinos in the Keystone State. Slot machine players are being drawn to Pennsylvania casinos with the promise of $20 to $50 in credit being applied to their players' cards. This credit has no cash value for tax purposes and comes at no cost to Pennsylvania casinos.

While West Virginia's tracks offer "coupons" to their best customers, these must be cashed in to be redeemed. When the money is placed in the video lottery machines, it then is taxed by the state.

The legislation passed by the West Virginia Legislature establishes a definition for promotional credits as being "credits given by the licensed gaming facility or licensed racetrack to players allowing limited free play of video lottery terminals in total amounts and under conditions approved in advance by the commission."

The amount taken in through promotional credits would not be included under the taxation of gross terminal income, according to the legislation.

Two other bills of note also passed the Legislature in the last week and are on their way to the governor.

• SB 501, introduced by state Sen. Jeff Kessler, D-Marshall, prohibits the euthanization of an animal by means of a gas chamber, but allows any county that currently operates a gas chamber to continue.

• House Bill 2621, prohibits the use of cell phone and text-messaging devices while operating a motor vehicle except when using a hands-free device or in the case of an emergency.

Already signed into law by the governor is HB 2795 introduced by Delegate Mike Ferro, D-Marshall which creates a special hunting and fishing license for people with severe disabilities or life-threatening conditions who are under age 21.

Still, other bills seems to have died in the Legislature.

• HB 3158 would have provided assistance to local governments for their police and fire pensions. It passed the House and had one of three required readings before the Senate. It then was remanded to the Senate Finance Committee, where it stayed.

• HB 3105 ended in the Senate Education Committee. Proposed by Delegate Orphy Klempa, D-Ohio, the bill would have extended the "drug free zone" policy on school properties to designated school bus stops.

• SB 242 , also introduced by Kessler, would have created the Evans-Perry Act to reduce DUI recidivism. The bill stalled before the House Judiciary Committee.

• SB 336 would have made not wearing a seat belt while in the front seat of a car a primary offense, and police would have been allowed to stop vehicles when they noticed passengers unbuckled. The bill ended in the House Roads and Transportation Committee.

• SB 535, introduced by state Sen. Ed Bowman, D-Hancock, would have authorized municipalities and county commissions to set closing times for certain bars. The bill was stopped in the House Political Subdivisions Committee.

• SB 238 would have prohibited discrimination based upon age or sexual orientation. This died in the House Judiciary Committee.

• And SB 311, another Kessler bill, would have created the 2012 Supreme Court of Appeals Public Campaign Financing Pilot Program, through which the campaigns for two Supreme Court seats would have been funded by the transfer of $1 million a year for the next four years from the Treasurer's Unclaimed Property Trust Fund.

The measure had two readings in the Senate but was abandoned after Gov. Joe Manchin signed an executive order creating a commission to study possible changes to West Virginia's court system.