Week in Review

State Capitol Week in Review
February 20, 2009
LITTLE ROCK – The laws governing the new Arkansas lottery will ensure accountability, transparency and fairness.
Details of the lottery bill were discussed at a meeting of the Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee. Many lawmakers have been working on the lottery bill since the beginning of the session and have produced a draft bill. The importance of writing a comprehensive lottery bill means that everybody expects to spend a lot more time working on it.
The second half of the lottery proposal, to dedicate revenues to college scholarships, is still being drafted and is expected to be released soon. Its sponsors anticipate a lot of debate.
Legislators are taking great care in writing the lottery law because they're implementing the will of Arkansas voters, who approved a lottery amendment to the state Constitution in the general election last November.
The draft bill would create a nine-member Lottery Commission. The governor, the President Pro Tem of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives each would appoint three members.
The commission would hire a director and staff, and neither the legislature nor any state agency would micro-manage the day-to-day operations of the lottery. The goal is to allow flexibility so the lottery commission can make quick and innovative decisions to meet changing market demands and maximize revenues for scholarships.
However, the commission's financial activities would be audited regularly by the state. A legislative oversight committee would make sure revenue goes to scholarships and that games conform to the lottery amendment. For example, video poker and casino gaming would be prohibited. You would have to be 18 or older to buy a lottery ticket.
The draft bill specifically says that the commission's activities come under the state Freedom of Information Act.
The commission will likely contract with private vendors to print tickets, handle promotions and administer the finances of the lottery. The commission will determine the frequency of lotteries and the amounts to be paid in prizes, as well as whether or not Arkansas joins with other states for super lotteries with multi-million dollar jackpots.
The draft legislation prohibits public officials from having any ownership interest in a vendor or a retailer connected to the lottery.
Lottery commissioners and their staff may not leave to take employment with a lottery vendor for at least two years after they resign. The commission and its staff are subject to criminal background checks.
Vendors and lottery retailers may not give any gifts of any value to commissioners and staff.
There was standing room only when the State Agencies Committee first presented the draft lottery bill. Similar crowds are expected when the scholarship provisions are discussed. The legislature will decide whether to create new scholarships or to expand existing programs.
There is a group of lawmakers who believe the current process of applying for scholarships needs to be simplified.