Alabama Lottery and Electronic Terminals Bill Fails in State Senate

The Alabama Senate has begun debate on a revamped lottery bill that would allow electronic gambling machines in more locations.

Gov. Robert Bentley’s lottery bill is heading to a possible vote in the Alabama Senate. Some Republicans are staunchly opposed to gambling and many Democrats favor bills that would allow electronic gambling machines to return to bingo casino sites that were shuttered by state authorities.

A lottery bill is headed to a vote in the Alabama Senate.

Alabama is one of six states in the country that does not have a lottery for government revenue.

Sen. Dick Brewbaker, R-Pike Road, said state-sponsored gambling will target the state’s poor and lotteries have not solved budget problems in other states, including those with much higher tax rates than Alabama.

The amendment was one of many proposed by a series of senators Friday. But the chamber voted by a margin of 22-7 to approve a last-minute amendment proposed Friday night by Senate Majority Leader Greg Reed, R-Jasper to designate 10 percent of potential lottery revenues to the Education Trust Fund.

There are three additional lottery/gaming bills that have already passed out of the Senate Tourism and Marketing Committee to be eligible for a vote on the senate floor, including the Governor’s proposal to create a general fund lottery.

“Let’s allow the people back home to vote”. However, lawmakers have been pessimistic about a lottery bill’s chances because of divisions over gambling.

While McClendon took the initiative to come up with his own plan, he said he would be satisfied if his colleagues opted to go with the governor’s idea instead. The bill, which was amended substantially before the vote, will now go on to the House of Representatives.

Situated in the heart of the Bible Belt, legalizing the lottery in Alabama faces an uphill battle.

Sen. Jim McClendon, the bill’s sponsor, urged lawmakers Thursday to approve the bill and let voters make the decision. The committee originally was supposed to meet next week, but Marsh said he wanted to get the bill out of committee for senators to read over the weekend.

Senators on Thursday in effect killed a more complex proposal that would have given some money to the General Fund and some to Medicaid, while opening “video lottery terminals” in some counties to increase state revenue. During Thursday’s special session, legislators voted 20 to 11 rejecting a cloture motion to stop the debate on the lottery.

Orr said the settlement funds were for Alabama’s collective damages from the spill and should help the entire state.