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Georgia Gov. to support casino bill if lottery not impactedNews Story
Georgia Governor Nathan Deal said Tuesday he won't oppose legislation that would legalize casino gambling as long as it doesn't devastate the state's popular lottery-funded HOPE scholarship program. We need to be absolutely certain that if a casino bill passes, it doesn't adversely impact a lottery program for the state, he said. That is the first big marker to make sure that we don't devastate what is probably perceived as the most successful lottery program in the country. The governor
Jan 24, 2017, 12:59 pm - Lottery News

Massachusetts lawmakers renew push for online lottery salesNews Story
If Massachusetts lawmakers pass a plan backed by State Treasurer Deborah Goldberg, the state lottery could be coming to phones and computers across the Commonwealth. After falling short in the last legislative session, proponents of expanding the state lottery into the digital world are renewing their push. I had to come around to this thinking because I myself hadn't thought about online lottery games, but I saw the way millennials are operating is really online, Goldberg said. This past
Jan 24, 2017, 9:39 am - Lottery News

Virginia nixes online lottery ticket salesNews Story
A Virginia House of Delegates subcommittee jettisoned legislation that would have allowed the Virginia Lottery to sell tickets on the Internet. Convenience store owners were among those opposed to the bill that would have opened the door to online gambling. This is the first time a Virginia Assembly Committee has voted on the issue. Del. Roxann Robinson introduced the bill, which was defeated 6-1 in a House General Laws subcommittee. The commonwealth is always looking for additional fundin
Jan 19, 2017, 7:41 pm - Lottery News

Alabama Gov. says lottery opponents 'should be ashamed of themselves'News Story
After going back and forth during a special session of the Alabama Legislature, Friday, lawmakers declared the lottery bill dead. That means you won't have the chance to vote for or against a state lottery this November. Governor Robert Bentley's frustration was evident this weekend during an interview with local media. He said lawmakers standing in the way of what he calls Alabama Progress should be ashamed of themselves. Bentley says the debate over a state lottery isn't just about ga
Aug 29, 2016, 7:29 am - Lottery News

Senate Democrats kill Alabama lottery bill over dog track concernsNews Story
It was a step away from passage. Then the lottery bill fell off a cliff. Needing just one final vote to go on a future election ballot, a proposal to establish a statewide lottery collapsed in the Alabama Senate Friday when Democrats, key to the bill's success, withdrew their support amid concerns language in the bill or not taken up by the House of Representatives -- could give the Poarch Band of Creek Indians a gaming monopoly at the expense of the state's existing dog tracks. If we
Aug 27, 2016, 7:50 am - Lottery News

Hope still alive: Alabama House passes modified lottery billNews Story
The Alabama House of Representatives narrowly approved Gov. Robert Bentley's proposed state lottery Thursday night after 10 hours of contentious debate and two vote attempts. Legislators clapped and cheered as the bill passed shortly before midnight on a 64-35 vote, exceeding the 63 votes required to pass the chamber. The bill now moves to the Alabama Senate where senators must decide whether to go along with mostly minor House changes to the legislation. The Republican governor, seeking t
Aug 26, 2016, 5:56 am - Lottery News

Alabama lottery vote manuevering fractures Republican caucusNews Story
Two senators have resigned from the Senate Republican Caucus in the wake of last week's vote to approve a statewide lottery, citing policy differences and claiming senate leaders violated their own rules in an effort to muscle the bill through. The bill, which was approved by a margin of 21-12, would send $100 million of lottery revenue each year to Medicaid, which is facing a $70 million shortfall this year, with the rest going to the General Fund. The bill endured a filibuster on the sen
Aug 24, 2016, 10:18 am - Lottery News

Alabama lottery bill won't make it on November ballotNews Story
The Alabama House of Representatives today blocked a committee meeting that was necessary for Gov. Robert Bentley's lottery proposal to get on the ballot in the Nov. 8 general election. That means that if lawmakers still approve a proposed constitutional amendment to allow a lottery during the special session, a special election would be required to place it on the ballot for voters. Bentley, who proposed the lottery as a way to boost funding for the state General Fund and Medicaid, said t
Aug 23, 2016, 9:49 pm - Lottery News

Alabama lottery bill faces battle in HouseNews Story
Senators thought the lottery proposal they approved Friday directed 10 percent of the revenue toward Alabama's education budget, but it doesn't. An amendment was added earlier Friday to Senate Bill 3 to give the education budget a slice of the lottery money. But a subsequent amendment to send the first $100 million in revenue to the state Medicaid agency, deleted the education allocation. Whether that amendment will get back into the bill is now unknown. I'm going to talk to the House
Aug 21, 2016, 8:03 am - Lottery News

UPDATED: Alabama Senate approves lottery billNews Story
Historic first step toward letting the people decide if they want a lottery Update: How each senator voted The Alabama Senate on Friday passed a lottery bill proposed by Gov. Robert Bentley, capping off the first week of a special session called by the governor. The bill, which was amended substantially before the vote, will now go on to the House of Representatives. Passed by a voting margin of 21-12, the bill sends a proposed constitutional amendment establishing a state lottery befor
Aug 20, 2016, 1:15 am - Lottery News