Alabama lottery passes House Committee, still has hope

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Alabama State House

An Alabama lottery may still have life in it yet. And for some, there’s still hope it will make its way before Alabama voters this November.

The House Economic Development and Tourism Committee approved the Gov. Robert Bentley-backed state lottery bill, a proposed constitutional amendment, by an 8-3 vote Wednesday. The full Alabama House of Representatives will debate the bill Thursday.

It would take 63 votes in the 103-member House to pass the lottery bill.

But to move forward, it would then need to return to the Senate for another vote, as it is a different version than what the Senate passed on Friday.

Lawmakers had originally been told the proposed constitutional amendment needed to pass the Alabama Legislature no later than Wednesday, Aug. 24 in order to make it on the general election ballot Nov. 8.

Secretary of State John Merrill on Wednesday reminded lawmakers of this, saying the deadline had passed.

However, the bill’s sponsor, Springville Republican state Sen. Jim McClendon, said lawmakers had until Friday.

Merrill is now seeking the opinion of the state Attorney General Luther Strange.

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