|
THE SENATE |
S.C.R. NO. |
155 |
|
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011 |
S.D. 1 |
|
|
STATE OF HAWAII |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
||
|
|
||
SENATE CONCURRENT
RESOLUTION
REQUESTING A STUDY ON THE FEASIBILITY OF IMPLEMENTING A POWERBALL STATE LOTTERY, MEGA MILLIONS LOTTERY, OR BOTH, IN THE STATE.
WHEREAS, Powerball is an American lottery game sold in member states across the country as a shared jackpot pool game; and
WHEREAS, Powerball is coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association, a non-profit, government-benefit association entirely owned and operated by member lotteries and based in Urbandale, Iowa; and
WHEREAS, Powerball currently is available in the District of Columbia, the United States Virgin Islands, and forty-two states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin; and
WHEREAS, Mega Millions is also a multistate lottery game played in the District of Columbia and forty-two participating states: Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin; and
WHEREAS, Hawaii is presently suffering from a severe economic downturn resulting in drastically declining revenues, particularly in light of the Pacific tsunami disaster in Japan and its projected effects on tourism; and
WHEREAS, the National Conference of State Legislatures reports that, in fiscal year 2006, state lotteries had $53,767,000,000 in net ticket sales, which amount excludes commissions paid to vendors and is equal to three percent of the total state revenue generated by all of the participating states during that year; and
WHEREAS, the State needs an alternative means to generate revenue in addition to taxes and should give due consideration to the potential use of lotteries as a source of revenue generation, as a majority of other states have done; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2011, the House of Representatives concurring, that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, with the assistance of the Legislative Reference Bureau, is requested to conduct a study on the feasibility of implementing a Powerball State lottery, Mega Millions lottery, or both, in the State; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the study include findings, recommendations, and proposed legislation; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Legislative Reference Bureau is requested to assist the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism in preparing a report of its study and any proposed legislation; provided that the Department submits a draft of its proposals to the Legislative Reference Bureau for drafting no later than November 1, 2011; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism report its findings and recommendations, including proposed legislation, to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2012; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism and Director of the Legislative Reference Bureau.
Lottery Study