OKLAHOMA CITY — A bill that would increase lottery prizes in hopes of increasing funding for education is headed to the governor’s desk.
The Senate on Tuesday passed House Bill 1837 by a vote of 36-10.
The action comes after the bill had been introduced for several years and ran into roadblocks.
But this year, the state is facing a $878 million budget hole in crafting the next fiscal year’s budget.
Current law requires the lottery to give 35 percent of its profits to education. The bill would remove that profit requirement.
It would allow the Oklahoma Lottery Commission to increase prizes, generating more sales and increasing profits that go to education, said Jay Finks, Oklahoma Lottery director of marketing and administration.
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Sen. Kim David, R-Porter, the Senate author, said the bill would prevent a $25 million loss over the next five years. Lottery officials have said the lottery had maxed out on what it could give to education.
Since its inception, the lottery has given $783 million to education.
“We are excited,” Finks said. “It is the furthest we have gotten in this process. One more step is for the governor’s office to sign it; then we have to get to work.”
