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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | February 4, 2016 01:43 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator John P. Sabatina, Jr. |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Unclaimed Lottery Winnings to Help Fund Schools |
| In the near future, I will introduce legislation to amend the act of August 26, 1971 (P.L. 351, No. 91) to amending the Lottery Law to use unclaimed lottery ticket money to help fund our struggling Public Schools. This legislation would do two things: The bill would shorten the date that sold lottery tickets go unclaimed. Currently winners have one year to claim their prize, this bill would shorten it to 120 days. 50% of the then-unclaimed prize money would go to fund public schools. Recently California awarded a $64 million cash prize in their state. The prize went unclaimed. California then used that unclaimed $64 million to fund their public schools. According to the Dept of Revenue, Out of every Lottery sales dollar, approximately 64 cents goes to prizes, 27 cents goes to benefit programs, 7 cents goes to retailer and vendor commissions and 2 cents goes to operating expenses. In Fiscal year 2013-14, $17,050,565 went unclaimed in PA. In times when our public schools need more and more support, this would be a way to fund schools without raising taxes. Please contact my Harrisburg Office if you have additional question. |