Senator Pushes For Lottery Vote As Session Nears End

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (AP) – As Alabama’s 2016 legislative session quickly nears its end, a state senator is making a final push for a lottery.

The Senate Tourism and Marketing Committee on Thursday voted for a bare-bones constitutional amendment that would allow Alabamians to vote on the issue but provides few other details.

Several senators say they voted in favor of the amendment with the understanding Republican Sen. Jim McClendon would rework his bill with more details before bringing it to a vote on the Senate floor.

McClendon plans to work with colleagues in the next few days on details like where lottery funds would be allocated.

He says there’s “time enough” to get the bill passed before the end of session.

Alabamians in 1999 voted down a lottery proposed by then-Gov. Don Siegelman.