Bill Drafted in Alabama Senate to Implement Lottery, Allow Gambling

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Posted by: Staff
Date: Apr 29 2015 9:50 AM

MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) -

It's shaping up to be a history-making week in Alabama's legislature. A Republican Senator is drafting a bill to implement a lottery in Alabama, and allow slot machines and table games at four facilities in the state. This the first time a republican has ever sponsored a lottery bill in Alabama.

As you might imagine, fellow republicans are slow to warm up to the idea, democrats say "it's about time", and the Governor is keeping his distance.

Senate President Pro-Tem Del Marsh is drafting the bill. He cites the results of an AUM study, showing big financial benefits. The study shows that implementing a lottery would create $400 million in new revenue for the General Fund, 11,000 new jobs, and would create up to a $1.2 billion impact.

Marsh' bill expected to be very similar to the one Democrat Craig Ford filed in the House.

“I'm excited to the fact that the Republicans are finally adopting the Democratic agenda, and we've been trying to propose this agenda for the past five years,” Ford said.

But not all Republicans are all the way on board yet. The Senate Republican Caucus is taking the "open-minded" approach.

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