Sen. Jim McClendon, R-Springville, speaks at the podium on his lottery bill during a special legislative session Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2016, at the Alabama State House in Montgomery, Ala. MONTGOMERY, Ala. - Lottery legislation is headed to a vote in the Alabama Senate sometime Thursday.
Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh said he intends to seek a vote on a lottery and gambling bill Thursday afternoon. Marsh said the bill sponsor plans to wrap suggestions from senators into a substitute bill in a last-ditch effort to get the stalled legislation through the Senate.
"I'm going to give him that vote and let the people show where they stand on this issue," Marsh said.
Alabama is one of six states without a lottery. The legislation seeks to put an Alabama lottery to a public vote for the first time since voters rejected a 1999 lottery proposed by then-Gov. Don Siegelman. Lawmakers have been divided over gambling, including whether to also allow machine or casino gambling and exactly how lottery proceeds should be used.
The bill before lawmakers would allow electronic lottery terminals - which resemble slot machines or video poker games- at four state dog tracks and possibly other locations.
Sen. Jim McClendon, the bill's sponsor, urged lawmakers Thursday to approve the bill and let voters make the decision.
"A vote for the bill is not a vote for a lottery. This is a vote for the people, to give them the right," McClendon said.
Senators took to the chamber's microphones Thursday morning to alternately praise or condemn the bill.
"It looks like a slot machine," Sen. Paul Bussman, R-Cullman, said of the electronic lottery terminals.
Supporters of the bill said the lottery terminals would provide more jobs and revenue. They said voters, not lawmakers, should make the decision.
Sen. Linda Coleman-Madison, D-Birmingham, criticized lawmakers who opposed the lottery bill while also opposing bills, introduced by Democrats, that would raise property taxes to fund Medicaid.
"If we are not going to vote for this, it's time to look at tax reform in this state," Coleman-Madison said.
Because the Alabama Constitution bans most games of chance, at least three-fifths of the legislators would have to approve any gambling legislation and a majority of voters would have to approve changing the state constitution to allow a lottery or gambling.
Marsh doubted the bill would have the 21 votes needed to clear the Senate.
McClendon declined to give an assessment of the bill's chances. "We're bringing it up. We're bringing it closer," McClendon said.
Gov. Robert Bentley called lawmakers into special session to consider his proposal to establish a state lottery as a means to provide money to state's cash-strapped Medicaid program. The bill before senators Thursday is a rival bill that Bentley does not support. In addition to the lottery, it would also allow the electronic gambling machines.
Marsh said the Bentley-backed bill for just a lottery would come to the floor later once lawmakers decide the fate of the broader gambling bill.
"Do we want to look at something that is more of a streamlined lottery? That option will be there," Marsh said.