Lottery: From broad principles to a 100-page bill

As you can see from the memo posted below, we've hammered out a lot of the main points and broad principles for the implementation of the lottery approved by the voters last November. Key leaders on the lottery from both the House and the Senate will meet upon adjournment Thursday, and we hope to have a "floor ready" bill when we adjourn from that meeting Friday morning. Here's your CliffNotes version of the memo:

A few highlights of the scholarship component: • A new scholarship would be created temporarily named the "Arkansas Opportunity Scholarship." Eligibility: (1) Graduate from high school with a 2.5 GPA, (2) score 19 on the ACT or (3) earn a 2.5 GPA after completing 12 semester hours at a two year or four-year college. • Initial scholarship awards would be at least $1,500 per year at a four-year school and $750 per year at a two-year school. • The scholarship could be renewed for up to 130 attempted semester hours if the recipient maintains a 2.5 grade-point average. • A Smart Core Incentive will provide $500 beyond the Opportunity Scholarship. • A Transfer Scholarship of $2,500 each year will be created for recipients who complete an associate degree and go on to a four-year degree program. • A STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Grant will be created for applicants who are admitted to a higher education program in a high-demand science, technology, engineering and mathematics field, which will be determined by the governor’s Workforce Cabinet. Eligibility requirements would include a 2.75 GPA to receive and keep a grant. We would also expand GO, CHALLENGE, and other existing scholarship programs.

Highlights of the governing component: • A nine-member lottery commission would establish and oversee the lottery. • The commission would appoint a director for the lottery’s daily operations. • A Lottery Scholarship Division would be created within the Dept of Higher Ed and would develop the rules, determine eligibility and determine the amount of the scholarship and grant awards. • The legislation would bar a lottery vendor from making political contributions or gifts over $100 to a public official and commission members or employees. • The commission would provide compensation to lottery retailers of at least 5% of gross sales. • Unclaimed winnings (up to $200,000) will go in a fund to help with gambling addiction. • A reserve fund of up to $50 million will fund scholarships in the event the bottom falls out of the economy or if tickets sales fall to zero. • If you win the lottery, any child support arrears, tax liens or judgments will come off the top. • Casino-style gambling and video lotteries would be explicity prohibited under the legislation.