House Speaker Salvatore F. DiMasi yesterday began surveying individual House members to determine where they stand on Governor Deval Patrick's plan to license three resort casinos in Massachusetts.
In an effort to take the temperature and forecast the debate in the 160-member House, DiMasi supporters began calling other legislators, asking them whether they are in favor, leaning in favor, undecided, leaning against, or opposed.
But in an unusual move, the polling of House members is coming before hearings on the legislation even begin, perhaps as a way for DiMasi - who is publicly on record as skeptical about the governor's casino proposal - to plan his strategy. The hearings are scheduled to begin in late March.
"I wouldn't read too much into it," said Dan Bosley, chairman of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies, which will hold the casino hearings. "We like to poll every once in a while."
DiMasi is also polling members on several other issues, including closing corporate tax loopholes and raising the cigarette tax.
Martin Walsh, a Democrat of Boston and gambling supporter, said it is unusual for members to signal their stand on a major piece of legislation before a hearing.
"I don't remember being polled on a significant issue like this prior to a hearing," he said. "I think the speaker wants to see where the members are before they take any action on the bill. Proper protocol would be to hold a hearing, then take a vote. I don't understand what the rationale is behind this."
With hearings scheduled to be held in the next few weeks, the pitches on both sides have grown more frequent and more fervent. Members are being stopped in elevators and asked where they stand. Administration officials also started meeting more often with legislators to try to persuade them, and the Massachusetts AFL-CIO is planning next week to start meeting with and writing letters to legislators.
"The speaker and the governor are working and talking to individual members," said Jamie Eldridge, an Acton Democrat who opposes casinos. "It's definitely something in play."
DiMasi, through his spokesman, would not answer questions about the head count. "He remains skeptical of the governor's plan, and continues to have serious questions about the assumptions in the plan that haven't really been answered," said the spokesman, David Guarino.
The Globe reported Monday that DiMasi had played golf at a pair of exclusive clubs in Florida recently with an official from Suffolk Downs, at the same time the track owners have been aggressively pursuing a gaming license for their East Boston site.
As the Globe was making inquiries about his schedule, DiMasi also turned down an invitation to play with Donald Trump at the ultra-exclusive Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach earlier this month.
Twelve of 19 members of the Joint Committee on Economic Development and Emerging Technologies said they are inclined to vote against the proposal unless wholesale changes are made, according to an informal Globe poll in December. Three members said they are leaning in favor of the proposal, and four are on the fence.
Senate President Therese Murray has been open to the idea of Massachusetts casinos, but has not weighed in on Patrick's bill.
Representative Brian Wallace, a Boston Democrat who has tried to marshal votes in favor of casinos, said there are about 45 to 50 House members on either side of the issue. "The votes are in the middle," he said. "Whoever is going to win is who gets the undecideds."
Matt Viser can be reached at maviser@globe.com.
