Bill > HB449

This bill establishes the Alabama Lottery Corporation to operate and regulate state lottery games, with a board of directors appointed by legislative leaders and the Governor, and a president appointed by the board and approved by the Governor, to manage its affairs; it defines various terms related to lottery operations, including "instant ticket," "lottery game," and "net proceeds" (gross lottery revenues minus prizes and expenses), and specifies that the corporation's records are public unless they involve security, trade secrets, or internal operations; the bill outlines the duties of the board and president, including budget approval, rule adoption, game design, retailer selection, and reporting to the legislature, and mandates criminal background checks for vendors and employees; it also details procedures for claiming prizes, including tax withholding and limitations on prize assignments, and establishes that unclaimed prize money will fund problem gambling treatment and scholarships, among other purposes; furthermore, the bill amends existing gambling laws to increase criminal penalties for offenses like promoting gambling and possession of gambling records, clarifies definitions to include electronic games of chance, and holds owners or operators of businesses criminally liable if violations occur on their premises and they have actual or constructive knowledge; finally, it repeals laws related to transporting lottery paraphernalia and makes the act contingent on the ratification of a proposed constitutional amendment.

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