A plan to allow voters to decide whether to set up a state lottery in Alabama advanced today in the House of Representatives.
The committee had held a public hearing last week but did not vote. But today the bill was approved by The House Economic Development and Tourism Committee.
Senator Greg Albritton is the sponsor of the legislation, which passed the Senate. But the committee today approved a substitute for Albritton’s bill by Republican Steve Clouse who chairs the House General Fund budget committee.
Clouse’s plan directs 75 percent of lottery revenues to the General Fund and 25 percent to the Education Trust Fund. The committee adopted an amendment today to allocate 0.25 percent of net lottery revenue to programs to help compulsive gamblers.
The Alabama Constitution prohibits lotteries, so voters would have to approve a constitutional amendment to allow one. But first it has to get through the Legislature. That would require 63 votes in the House, which would be three-fifths of its’ members.
The Legislative Services Agency estimates that a lottery would raise about $167 million a year in net revenue, after prizes and expenses are paid.