The Legislature this Week and Next
A lot is happening at the Legislature this week and next. We have a lot of bills we’re tracking, and a lot of legislation we want to see passed in the next few days. Below is a snapshot of what we expect this week.
More Lottery Stats Under HJR1005
HJR1005 by Rep. Clemmer is expected to come up in the Legislature very soon. Under her proposed constitutional amendment, the Arkansas Lottery would be required to allocate at least 35% of its revenue for college scholarships instead of the paltry 21.5% it currently does.
Setting a minimum of 35% would raise Arkansas from almost dead last when it comes to percentages allocated for its lottery’s intended purpose, but that hasn’t stopped lottery officials from arguing that setting a minimum allocation will adversely affect lottery revenue–meaning less gross revenue for the Arkansas Lottery and less money for scholarships overall.
Yesterday, we busted that myth by demonstrating that the Arkansas Lottery could provide more scholarships under HJR1005 than it currently does–even if it suffered as much as a $185 million drop in ticket sales. Here’s a table of additional lottery stats showing how much money the Arkansas Lottery could give Arkansas’ college-bound students, based on different revenue predictions, if HJR1005 passes.
From the Legislature: Over 500 Filings in One Day
Well, I’ve said for a few weeks now that this legislative session has gotten off to a slower start than most. As of yesterday, however, it looks like things have officially kicked into high gear.