NOTIFICATION OF LOTTERY WINNINGS S.B. 711: COMMITTEE SUMMARY
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Senate Bill 711 (as introduced 9-28-11)
Sponsor: Senator John Moolenaar
Committee: Families, Seniors, and Human Services


Date Completed: 11-9-11

CONTENT
The bill would amend the Lottery Act to require the Lottery Bureau to notify the Department of Human Services and the Unemployment Insurance Agency of the name of a prize winner and the amount of the prize. The notification would have to be made within seven days after the Bureau paid a prize of $1,000 or more and would have to include other available identifying information regarding the prize winner.


Proposed MCL 432.32a Legislative Analyst: Patrick Affholter

FISCAL IMPACT
The bill would increase the responsibilities of the Lottery Bureau, as described above. There would be a substantial number of prizes to report. Data provided by the Lottery show that approximately 55,000 prizes over $600 were awarded in 2010. There would be initial implementation costs for the Lottery. Staff have indicated that the Lottery would develop a secure, automated system to transmit these data weekly, as the bill would require. The estimated cost of adjusting the current Lottery information technology system for this responsibility is unknown at this time. Any increase in Lottery administrative costs would reduce the Lottery distribution to the School Aid Fund.


The Department of Human Services would be able to use the data to verify eligibility for financial and food assistance programs. (The estimated State fiscal impact from this proposed change is discussed in the Committee Summary of Senate Bill 712.)


The Unemployment Insurance Agency (UIA) would be able to use the data to check against accounts of individuals owing restitution for payments, to aid in collection efforts. The UIA does not expect any increase in costs to implement this review.

Fiscal Analyst: Elizabeth Pratt

Analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent. sb711/1112