Jim McClendon, Alan Harper to announce Alabama lottery bill

Republicans state Sen. Jim McClendon of Springville and Rep. Alan Harper of Northport plan a joint press conference Tuesday to discuss their legislation to allow the public to vote on a statewide lottery.

The press conference will take place 10 a.m. in the Press Room on the third floor of the Alabama State House.

Representatives in McClendon’s office were directed to inform anyone seeking information on the bill to attend Tuesday’s press conference.

Harper was attending to a personal matter and unable to discuss the legislation in detail.

A state lottery has been a divisive issue since former-Gov. Don Siegelman attempted to pass such legislation during his tenure.

During last year’s budget struggles, when two Special Sessions were called to address a multimillion dollar hole in the state’s general fund,  a proposal by Republican Sen. Paul Sanford of Huntsville to have Alabama join Powerball, Mega Millions and other state lotteries died in the  Senate Committee on Tourism and Marketing.

McClendon and Harper’s bill will be introduced in the 2016 Regular Session of the Alabama Legislature, which begins Feb. 2.