Signed by Governor Phil Bryant

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that establishes the Mississippi Lottery Corporation to administer the state lottery.

Highlights:

• Establishes a state lottery, which will be administered by a corporation known as the “Mississippi Lottery Corporation,” and will be managed in a manner that enables the people of the state to benefit from its profits and ensures the integrity of the lottery (Sec. 4).

• Requires the affairs of the corporation to be administered by the Mississippi Lottery Corporation Board of Directors (Sec. 5).

• Requires the board to be comprised of 5 members appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, and must take into account the goals of geographic, racial, gender and other categories of diversity when nominating board members (Sec. 5).

• Specifies that after the expiration of the initial members’ terms, members will serve 5 years on the board (Sec. 5).

• Requires the board to meet at least monthly for the first 18 months with accurate and complete records kept of all meetings, and specifies that all meeting records are subject to the Open Meetings Act (Sec. 5). 

• Requires the president of the corporation to be appointed by the board, with approval by the governor within 30 days of receiving the nomination (Sec. 6). 

• Specifies that all records of the corporation will be deemed public records and are subject to public inspection unless the following conditions apply (Sec. 7):

• The record relates to or was provided by a confidential source or informant and relates to lottery security, applicant, vendor, or retailer qualifications or conduct;

• The record involves a trade secret of the corporation or of a vendor;

• The disclosure of the record would endanger the security of the lottery or its retailers; or 

• The record is covered by another exemption under federal or state law.

• Authorizes the board to adopt administrative rules and regulations for the conduct of specific lottery games and operations, including but not limited to, administrative rules and regulations specifying (Sec. 9):

• The types of lottery games to be conducted which utilize the sale of paper tickets for various intra-state, multi-state, or multi-sovereign lottery games and “instant tickets;”

• The sale price of tickets; 

• The number and amount of prizes;

• The frequency and means of conducting drawings which shall be open to the public; and 

• The manner and amount of compensation to lottery retailers, which must all be uniform.

• Prohibits the board from authorizing, conducting, or administering lottery games involving the use of a video lottery terminal or any mobile or internet-based interactive game, including video poker, video roulette, slot machines or video blackjack (Sec. 9).

• Requires a background investigation and drug test to be conducted by the security director of the corporation on every applicant who has reached the final selection process prior to employment by the corporation (Sec. 16).

• Prohibits any person who has been convicted of a felony, bookmaking, other forms of illegal gambling, or a crime involving moral turpitude from being employed by the corporation (Sec. 16).

• Authorizes the board to provide the definition of moral turpitude (Sec. 16).

Full Bill Text

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to adopt a conference report that establishes the Mississippi Lottery Corporation to administer the state lottery.

Highlights:

• Establishes a state lottery, which will be administered by a corporation known as the “Mississippi Lottery Corporation,” and will be managed in a manner that enables the people of the state to benefit from its profits and ensures the integrity of the lottery (Sec. 4).

• Requires the affairs of the corporation to be administered by the Mississippi Lottery Corporation Board of Directors (Sec. 5).

• Requires the board to be comprised of 5 members appointed by the governor, with the advice and consent of the senate, and must take into account the goals of geographic, racial, gender and other categories of diversity when nominating board members (Sec. 5).

• Specifies that after the expiration of the initial members’ terms, members will serve 5 years on the board (Sec. 5).

• Requires the board to meet at least monthly for the first 18 months with accurate and complete records kept of all meetings, and specifies that all meeting records are subject to the Open Meetings Act (Sec. 5). 

• Requires the president of the corporation to be appointed by the board, with approval by the governor within 30 days of receiving the nomination (Sec. 6). 

• Specifies that all records of the corporation will be deemed public records and are subject to public inspection unless the following conditions apply (Sec. 7):

• The record relates to or was provided by a confidential source or informant and relates to lottery security, applicant, vendor, or retailer qualifications or conduct;

• The record involves a trade secret of the corporation or of a vendor;

• The disclosure of the record would endanger the security of the lottery or its retailers; or 

• The record is covered by another exemption under federal or state law.

• Authorizes the board to adopt administrative rules and regulations for the conduct of specific lottery games and operations, including but not limited to, administrative rules and regulations specifying (Sec. 9):

• The types of lottery games to be conducted which utilize the sale of paper tickets for various intra-state, multi-state, or multi-sovereign lottery games and “instant tickets;”

• The sale price of tickets; 

• The number and amount of prizes;

• The frequency and means of conducting drawings which shall be open to the public; and 

• The manner and amount of compensation to lottery retailers, which must all be uniform.

• Prohibits the board from authorizing, conducting, or administering lottery games involving the use of a video lottery terminal or any mobile or internet-based interactive game, including video poker, video roulette, slot machines or video blackjack (Sec. 9).

• Requires a background investigation and drug test to be conducted by the security director of the corporation on every applicant who has reached the final selection process prior to employment by the corporation (Sec. 16).

• Prohibits any person who has been convicted of a felony, bookmaking, other forms of illegal gambling, or a crime involving moral turpitude from being employed by the corporation (Sec. 16).

• Authorizes the board to provide the definition of moral turpitude (Sec. 16).

Full Bill Text