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Eastern Time (GMT-5:00) | Michigan Senate bill lets lottery winners remain anonymous Michigan Lottery: Michigan Senate bill lets lottery winners remain anonymous53 Rating:LANSING, Mich. — Michigan winners of multistate lotteries — such as the Lapeer man who won a $337 million Powerball jackpot — could choose to remain anonymous, under a bill that passed a state Senate committee Thursday. Sen. Tory Rocca, R-Sterling Heights, said publicity surrounding such windfalls makes winners too vulnerable to scam artists and violent criminals, not to mention grasping third cousins. "The reasons range from the mundane to the fatal," Rocca said. Not only are there "relatives popping out of the woodwork," but "there are cases throughout the country of people being shot and actually killed." The Senate Regulatory Reform Committee that Rocca chairs passed his bill Thursday in a 6-0 vote with bipartisan support. The bill now moves to the full Senate. But the change faces opposition from the Michigan Lottery Bureau. It says taking away the publicity generated by winners such as Donald Lawson, 44, who in August opted for a lump-sum $224.6 million payout, would depress ticket sales. Patrick Clawson of Flint, a legal investigator who advocates for open government, told the committee that Rocca's proposed law would violate a requirement of the state constitution that all state financial records be open to public inspection. "What we're talking about is public money," Clawson said. "If they want to keep their names (from being) disclosed, let them play the Mafia numbers racket." Rocca rejected the constitutional argument and said winners of lotteries confined to the state of Michigan, as opposed to multistate lotteries such as Powerball, already have the option of keeping their names secret. Rocca noted that a $30 million lottery winning was cited as the motive in the 2010 murder of a Plant City, Fla., man found buried under a concrete slab. Detroit Free Press We'd love to see your comments here! Register for a FREE membership — it takes just a few moments — and you'll be able to post comments here and on any of our forums. If you're already a member, you can Log In to post a comment. 18 comments. Last comment 8 months ago by .
United States
Member #111467
May 25, 2011
6323 Posts
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| | Posted: September 14, 2012, 8:49 am - IP Logged | |
 Just 49 states to go. (except for the few that allow it already).
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Dutchess , NY United States Member #121976 January 21, 2012 1344 Posts Offline | | Posted: September 14, 2012, 9:20 am - IP Logged | |
Who will win. The Cat or the Mouse.  and make your last check bounce.
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United States
Member #111467
May 25, 2011
6323 Posts
Offline
| | Posted: September 14, 2012, 9:22 am - IP Logged | |
Who will win. The Cat or the Mouse. Neither, the Turkey.  | | |
Housekeeper MICHIGAN United States Member #82269 October 28, 2009 13125 Posts Offline | | Posted: September 14, 2012, 9:54 am - IP Logged | |
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NEW YORK United States Member #90565 April 29, 2010 1676 Posts Offline | | Posted: September 14, 2012, 10:08 am - IP Logged | |
Lottery players should remain anonymous in every state. HOW TO WIN THE LOTTERY BY NOT PLAYING=SAVE YOUR MONEY TO PLAY THE LOTTERY SOMEDAY.
I WILL PLAY THE LOTTERY SOMEDAY TO AVOID THE LOTTERY INSANITY. IT IS OKAY TO DREAM. | | |
Texas United States Member #132464 September 4, 2012 271 Posts Offline | | Posted: September 14, 2012, 10:14 am - IP Logged | |
Every person has the right to privacy and so with lottery too. The money might be a public money, but their security and safety should not be in danger here. | | |
Clarksville United States Member #489 July 15, 2002 15860 Posts Offline | | Posted: September 14, 2012, 10:31 am - IP Logged | |
That line about undermining the public trust is so much garbage. When people started winning millions..the criminal element stood up and took notice. It is about time this came to the forefront.The only reason to know a lottery winner's name is to see if they owe the state money or are on the state rolls for food stamps, public housing, etc...other than that, there are NO other reasons. If they really wanted to do a good job, they would make it a felony to divulge the winner's name. You know how people work in those places and can be swayed to give out private information for a few dollars on the side. That is how that lady got information about Shakespear in Florida.. Posters are not forever... | | |
Indiana United States Member #104883 January 21, 2011 157 Posts Offline | | Posted: September 14, 2012, 10:39 am - IP Logged | |
Too bad this passed too late for that Lapeer guy that already came out. I never got how exactly keeping winners' names private would harm sales. I buy tickets regardless of who's winning because I know it's all completely random and that I am desperate enough to play. The Lottery cares very little about its winners once they take your name and post it everywhere. Personally if it were up to me not only should the lottery help protect your privacy, they should also help arrange for a financial advisor if you desire one. | | |
United States Member #52818 May 21, 2007 1373 Posts Offline | | Posted: September 14, 2012, 11:53 am - IP Logged | |
Too bad this passed too late for that Lapeer guy that already came out. I never got how exactly keeping winners' names private would harm sales. I buy tickets regardless of who's winning because I know it's all completely random and that I am desperate enough to play. The Lottery cares very little about its winners once they take your name and post it everywhere. Personally if it were up to me not only should the lottery help protect your privacy, they should also help arrange for a financial advisor if you desire one.  better late then not at all
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Massachusetts United States Member #37842 April 14, 2006 961 Posts Offline | | Posted: September 14, 2012, 2:33 pm - IP Logged | |
I support this move totally. By now everybody knows that lotteries are real and ordinary people do hit the jackpot. | | |
Wannabe Won Percenter Republic of Texas United States Member #58035 January 9, 2008 764 Posts Offline | | Posted: September 14, 2012, 6:48 pm - IP Logged | |
They don't have to have a name and hometown to have publicity. A winner can even agree to do a presser if no pictures or names are allowed. Texas has limited publicity, which I believe allows blind trusts to claim. Clear eyes, full hearts, Texas forever!  PROUD MEMBER OF THE 85% (what's left of the 99% after you take out the lefties and the OW anarchists) Wannabe member of the 1%. Is VenomV12 a troll? | | |
Oklahoma United States Member #82920 November 12, 2009 3458 Posts Offline | | Posted: September 14, 2012, 7:56 pm - IP Logged | |
 To my home state
Win BIG everyone..... I Love Pink & Green....1908 | | |
Seattle, Washington United States Member #121168 January 3, 2012 78 Posts Offline | | Posted: September 14, 2012, 8:00 pm - IP Logged | |
Way to go, Michigan! That's definitely a step in the right direction; hopefully, the rest of the states will get a clue & follow suit. Given that they've referenced Abraham Shakespeare's death in Florida as one of the reasons for this bill, they should call it "Shakespeare's Law". | | |
MI United States Member #55299 August 31, 2007 938 Posts Offline | | Posted: September 14, 2012, 11:51 pm - IP Logged | |
About <snip> time! This post has been automatically changed by the Lottery Post computer system to remove inappropriate content and/or spam. You can't predict random. | | |
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