Alabama Lawmakers Propose Vote on State Lottery
State Senator Jim McClendon, a Republican from Springville, has proposed a bill that would allow Alabamians to vote on whether or not they want a state lottery.
McClendon said Tuesday he had been spurred to action by people in his district.
“Everywhere I go, people are saying, ‘We’ve got our tickets’ or ‘We’re on the way,’,” McClendon said in a press conference at the State House in Montgomery. “They are driving to surrounding states. They are leaving our money, and they cannot understand why Alabama does not offer what 44 states in America offer.”
McClendon says his bill is simple. If passed, it would allow Alabamians to vote — yes or no — on a constitutional amendment that would set up a state lottery. McClendon’s proposal does not mention how or where the money from the lottery would be used.
House Minority Leader Craig Ford, a Gadsden Democrat, also filed a bill in support of the lottery. His bill would send the proceeds to fund scholarships at state colleges.
In the past, Alabama voters and lawmakers have rejected attempts to green light a lottery.
McClendon said he was not prompted to action by Wednesday’s $1.5 billion Powerball jackpot.
Deadline looms as Anthropic rejects Pentagon demands it remove AI safeguards
The Defense Department has been feuding with Anthropic over military uses of its artificial intelligence tools. At stake are hundreds of millions of dollars in contracts and access to some of the most advanced AI on the planet.
Pakistan’s defense minister says that there is now ‘open war’ with Afghanistan after latest strikes
Pakistan's defense minister said that his country ran out of "patience" and considers that there is now an "open war" with Afghanistan, after both countries launched strikes following an Afghan cross-border attack.
Hillary Clinton calls House Oversight questioning ‘repetitive’ in 6 hour deposition
In more than seven hours behind closed doors, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton answered questions from the House Oversight Committee as it investigates Jeffrey Epstein.
Chicagoans pay respects to Jesse Jackson as cross-country memorial services begin
Memorial services for the Rev. Jesse Jackson Sr. to honor his long civil rights legacy begin in Chicago. Events will also take place in Washington, D.C., and South Carolina, where he was born and began his activism.
In reversal, Warner Bros. jilts Netflix for Paramount
Warner Bros. says Paramount's sweetened bid to buy the whole company is "superior" to an $83 billion deal it struck with Netflix for just its streaming services, studios, and intellectual property.
Trump’s ballroom project can continue for now, court says
A US District Judge denied a preservation group's effort to put a pause on construction
