After a contentious debate, the Alabama State Senate moved forward and passed a bill that would allow a paper lottery in Alabama. Now, one state senator believes the lottery is headed towards passage.
There have always been two competing visions for what a “clean” lottery should look like in Alabama.
State Senator Greg Albritton (R-Range) wanted a lottery and nothing more, a bill that many believe favors the Poarch Band of Creek Indians. State Senator Jim McClendon (R-Springville) wanted a lottery that extended protection to gambling interests that the attorney general of Alabama believes are operating illegally.
Albritton won.
But when all was said and done, McClendon’s version of the lottery lost out, and he voted “No” on the measure. He decided to throw his support behind Albritton’s bill as it moves to the Alabama State House. And asked that the House not amend the bill, so the state of Alabama can finally have a lottery vote before the people.
State Senator Rodger Smitherman (D-Birmingham), who initially voted against Albritton’s bill in committee, voted “Yes” and called on the House to pass this bill and grant the people the ability to vote on a lottery.
Multiple issues were raised during the debate: The legality of electronic bingo machines or slot machines with extra steps, the division of revenue to the Alabama Trust Fund or Education Trust Fund, the ability to purchase lottery tickets via the Internet. Those issues led to Alabama State Senator Arthur Orr (R-Decatur) to vote against the measure.
During a radio appearance on WVNN’s “The Dale Jackson Show,” Orr expressed that he believes the lottery is heading towards a total passage in Alabama, although he believes the Alabama Senate will see an amended bill.
Partial transcript as follows:
JACKSON: You think the House does vote on this?ORR: Yes.JACKSON: You think it goes ‘yes’?ORR: Yes.JACKSON: You think they change it a little bit, it comes back to the Senate?ORR: Yes, probably, yes.JACKSON: You think it goes to the people. … We all vote for it, it passes?ORR: Yes.JACKSON: So you think this is the lottery? This is how they get there?ORR: I think so.
The conclusion of this saga is still not 100 percent certain, but it appears even some of the no voices are coming around to this incarnation of the lottery.
Listen here:
Dale Jackson is a contributing writer to Yellowhammer News and hosts a talk show from 7-11 am weekdays on WVNN
