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Mississippi lottery talk likely to coalesce odd coalitionNews Story
Analysis: Natural foes to reunite yet again in opposition to lottery efforts Nothing puts preachers and their flocks in political cahoots with the state's casino gaming industry barons faster than any serious talk of Mississippi authorizing a state lottery. Fellow scribe Geoff Pender told us last week in a story about the possible prospects of Mississippi adopting a state lottery that Gov. Phil Bryant is open to a discussion of a state lottery. The exact quote Pender attributed to Bryan
Oct 6, 2016, 11:11 am - Lottery News

Mississippi Gov. says he's open to discussing state lotteryNews Story
Creating a lottery has been mostly just a sidebar debate in Mississippi and the Legislature for decades oft discussed, but never gonna happen. Ever since former Gov. Ray Mabus' ill-fated push for one in 1990 helped get him un-elected, any effort to create a lottery has faced a certain gubernatorial veto and was, therefore, moot. That appears to have changed. As recently as January, Gov. Phil Bryant called the idea of a lottery a silly notion, and more directly said, I am not for it.
Oct 1, 2016, 9:32 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

Alabama Senate kills one lottery bill; the other to be debated FridayNews Story
The Alabama Senate Thursday voted against a procedure that would have allowed a vote on a proposed lottery bill sponsored by State Sen. Jim McClendon. Procedurally they killed the bill, at least for this session, McClendon said. Senators voted 20 to 11 to reject a cloture motion to stop the debate on the lottery. McClendon said that if the motion was approved it would have meant a vote could be taken on the lottery and would likely have had the votes. McClendon said that on Friday he w
Aug 18, 2016, 8:47 pm - Lottery News