Before the adjournment of the annual legislative session, Kansas lawmakers did not try to override Governor Sam Brownback’s veto of a bill allowing self-service vending machine sales of Kansas Lottery tickets to help fund community mental health services. Legislators also let stand Brownback’s vetoes of two budget items mandating spending on specific services tied to new lottery revenues.
Brownback earlier vetoed the bill because he said the lottery has more of a negative effect on low-income Kansans. Since the state is the only entity allowed to operate a lottery in Kansas, it has a “higher standard of care” managing and operating it, he said. “Rather than investing limited resources in games of chance, our goal is to help low income Kansans find a path to self-reliance and independence through education, work and savings,” Brownback said in his veto message.
Supporters said the vending machines initially would increase lottery sales by $25-$30 million annually, and increase funds directed to the state by $8-$10 million each year. Also the measure would have provided up to $4 million in lottery proceeds to go toward mental health services next year. Kansas Lottery retailer locations would have been allowed to have two vending machines each.
Lottery spokeswoman Sally Lunsford had said the bill would result in increased revenue and reduced labor costs for retailers. She 38 of 44 states with lotteries use the vending machines, including Colorado, Missouri and Oklahoma. Missouri Lottery Communications Manager Susan Goedde said monthly sales rose nearly 12 percent since the state installed 300 machines in 2015.
Earlier this month the House passed the bill 98-19 and the Senate 34-4—margins greater than the two-thirds needed to override the veto. But since the last day of the session primarily is ceremonial, some lawmakers did not show up, making it impossible for bill supporters to gather the 84 votes in the House and 27 in the Senate needed to override the veto. The bill could be reintroduced next year.
