In a five-minute video, Alabama Governor Robert Bentley said he will call a special legislative session on August 15 to approve a state lottery to help solve the state’s budget problems. Legislators will have to approve any lottery bill by August 24 to make the November ballot.
“I trust the voters, and our legislators must do the same. Montgomery doesn’t have all the answers. Let’s hear from the people of this great state on whether the time has come to approve a statewide lottery to help fund essential state services. It’s time we stopped supporting other states’ budgets and keep our money at home,” Bentley said.
Alabama is one of six states–including Mississippi, Utah, Alaska, Hawaii and Nevada—that do not have a state lottery. In 1998, former Governor Don Siegelman promoted a state lottery to fund education, but it was strongly opposed by church groups and ultimately rejected by voters.
The state constitution bans games of chance, so three-fifths of legislators and a majority of voters would be required change the constitution to allow a lottery.
The governor said a lottery would raise $225 million annually. He emphasized he would support legislation for only a lottery and not casino gambling. Bentley explained lottery proceeds would fund services for “our children, our elderly, those with mental illness and those who are in the most need as well as the men and women in law enforcement.”
A conservative Baptist who frequently has sent mixed signals regarding a lottery, Bentley noted, “The time has come for us to find a permanent solution. This solution will provide funding that we can count on year after year without ever having to raise your taxes or put one more Band-Aid on our state’s money problems.” Last year legislators soundly rejected his proposed $541 million in tax increases.
Bentley did not give a date for the special session nor the statewide referendum. But state Senator Jim McClendon, the expected lottery bill sponsor, said he wants the special session to be held in August so the issue can be placed on the November 8 ballot. Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh also urged Bentley to call the special session soon. “Any referendum passed by the legislature after August 24 would require a special election costing taxpayers $4 million, which is an unnecessary expense to the state at a time of budget shortfalls,” Marsh said.
Not all legislators were happy with the news. State Senator Trip Pittman, chairman of the Senate General Fund budget committee, said, “It’s probably my last choice. It’s a terrible way to fund government. But at the end of the day, it’s something we need to debate.” State Rep. Rich Wingo said he’s “extremely disappointed, because a lottery would prey upon the state’s poor, taking money from people who can’t afford to lose it. I’m 100 percent opposed to the lottery or gambling of any kind. It’s our state government playing our citizens for fools.”
However, McClendon said, “The constituents in my district have made it clear to me that they don’t understand why we don’t have a lottery. The support from the people appears to be overwhelming.” McClendon said he is revising the lottery bill he presented last session, which was criticized for a lack of details. Without being specific, McClendon said the revised version is more specific and includes suggestions from Bentley.
