Alabama lottery bill passes Senate

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If you’ve ever heard of the saying, “If at first you don’t succeed: Try, try, try again,” then you have a basic understanding for the what’s going on in the Alabama Legislature this week. After years of trying and failing to pass a state lottery, on Thursday, the Alabama Senate moved one step closer to actually making a state lottery a reality.

Following hours of debate, the full Alabama Senate narrowly passed a lottery bill, a proposed constitutional amendment, by a 21-12 vote on Thursday afternoon. Because the bill, sponsored by Atmore-Republican, Sen. Greg Albritton, is a proposed constitutional amendment three-fifths of the Senate, 21 of the 35 members, needed to vote in favor of the bill in order for it to pass.

The legislation now moves to the Alabama House of Representatives. Should the legislation pass the House, the issue will move to the voters where they will have a chance to decide whether the state should have a state lottery. It’s been 20 years since Alabamians have had a chance to vote on a lottery. 

Alabama is one of six states without a lottery.