Arkansas steps forward to implement lottery
Gambling to fund university scholarships
James Baker
Issue date: 4/1/09 Section: News
Gov. Mike Beebe last week signed into law state lottery legislation that will fund college and university scholarships, setting the stage for the lottery's implementation within the next few months.
The next step for implementing Arkansas' state lottery will be a lottery commission to form the rules and regulations for the lottery itself, as well as its structure. There are nine commission appointments: three are made by the governor, three by the Senate President Pro Tempore Bob Johnson and three by House Speaker Robbie Wills.
Johnson made his appointments when the legislation was signed into law, and one includes former Congressman and state Attorney General Ray Thornton. Thornton, who also sat on the Arkansas Supreme Court and as president of the University of Arkansas system, voted against the ballot measure in November, though he accepted the six-year term appointment.
This commission will also craft scholarships, but will have the help of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.
"The commission will have the final word on it but ADHE will be at the table because they will need a lot of information from us," said Dale Ellis, ADHE communications officer.
Projections on the amount of money generated by the lottery vary greatly. While chief lottery proponent Arkansas' Lt. Gov. Bill Halter projected the games would produce up to $100 million in scholarship money, opponents, such as the Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council, believe the lottery would raise no more than $50 million.
"Projections are just that," Ellis said. Projections have been made with help from other states' lottery officials, but how much the lottery will actually bring in remains to be seen, he said.
The state's goal is to begin lottery sales by fall of 2009. For now, "it's way too early to tell," Ellis said.
"Lawmakers hope to set specific amounts next February during our budget session, with the first scholarships good for the 2010-2011 school year," said Rep. Lindsley Smith, D-Fayetteville.
The next step for implementing Arkansas' state lottery will be a lottery commission to form the rules and regulations for the lottery itself, as well as its structure. There are nine commission appointments: three are made by the governor, three by the Senate President Pro Tempore Bob Johnson and three by House Speaker Robbie Wills.
Johnson made his appointments when the legislation was signed into law, and one includes former Congressman and state Attorney General Ray Thornton. Thornton, who also sat on the Arkansas Supreme Court and as president of the University of Arkansas system, voted against the ballot measure in November, though he accepted the six-year term appointment.
This commission will also craft scholarships, but will have the help of the Arkansas Department of Higher Education.
"The commission will have the final word on it but ADHE will be at the table because they will need a lot of information from us," said Dale Ellis, ADHE communications officer.
Projections on the amount of money generated by the lottery vary greatly. While chief lottery proponent Arkansas' Lt. Gov. Bill Halter projected the games would produce up to $100 million in scholarship money, opponents, such as the Arkansas Faith and Ethics Council, believe the lottery would raise no more than $50 million.
"Projections are just that," Ellis said. Projections have been made with help from other states' lottery officials, but how much the lottery will actually bring in remains to be seen, he said.
The state's goal is to begin lottery sales by fall of 2009. For now, "it's way too early to tell," Ellis said.
"Lawmakers hope to set specific amounts next February during our budget session, with the first scholarships good for the 2010-2011 school year," said Rep. Lindsley Smith, D-Fayetteville.
Be the first to comment on this story