There is a bill in Tennessee to cap the lottery winnings of people on food stamps if they win over $600.


http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/BillInfo/Default.aspx?BillNumber=HB0818

Click onto SB 1240.

The bill says that nobody receiving any aid - food stamps, WIC, TennCare (I guess that's their health care) can receive over $600 in winnings. It shall be an unclaimed prize.

This is just wrong to me. Say I am on food stamps and win the lottery.
Why can't I just keep the lottery money and get off of the food stamps?

If you click on "Fiscal Note HB0818", it talks about how much money the state will lose if they pass the bill.

Keep 'em down...

Way down...

What is the motivation for such a thing?

Where is the morality in such a thing?

The lottery, sadly so, is the only 'hope' that some have to be financially independent of the system, which is constructed in such a way that it is nearly impossible to move out of the financial 'class' that one is born into.

Power is a dangerous thing in this country.

I guess it must be to try deter them from gambling away tax payers money?

Sounds like a pretty unfair and dumb law to me though.

Creativesoul,

I can't figure out what the motivation could be. A lottery ticket costs $1.00.

It states that 100% of unclaimed prize money is earmarked for after-school programs. Could this be what it's all about?

Well, considering what I know from experience concerning lotteries and the taxes placed upon the winnings, perhaps the state of TN wants to keep the taxes even if the buyer of the winning ticket must forfeit their share...

Forfeit because of being poor?

Hmmmm....

I wonder how many well off people even buy lottery tickets?

They'll make it up with the incentive money the State will make by increasing their Welfare Caseload.

Earmarks huh?

That (in my opinion) is a freakin' joke. Most lotteries were agreed to in the first place for the sake of funding roads and education. Whereas, when looked into, the funding (in one case I know of at least) is less than 5% of the total income from a state-sponsered lottery being spent on education or roads/highway maintenance.

Who knows where the rest of it really goes?

Interesting point.

They say that the lottery money goes to schools. People in my area wonder if it really goes there. Now this state has the unclaimed portion that they are forcing upon people going to a school program?
It just doesn't seem right.

If I won a big Lottery, would go to the State i owe back support. Been payin' that off now for over 10 years. Still got a ways ta' go.

I find the facts to be quite obnoxious when one looks into how much money is spent per student per year in public education versus how much money is being spent to house prisoners per inmate per year...

Add to that, the ability a prisoner has to obtain a legal college degree without having to pay for it...

It is disgusting.

The logic is horrendous.

Whatever happened to the age of reason?

Winx, I gotta agree with you on this one. Absolutely ridiculous. Sounds awfully 'fishy' to me for such a law to be passed. Hopefully it won't be.

if the a-holes would learn to manage the money they are given and do their jobs when it comes to over sight we wouldnt be in this trouble....

here's what makes sense if a person is on welfare and has been for awhile then if nothing else they might make the person pay it back,but anything else is just wrong,its just a ploy backed up with bs to get their hands on the money...

Dey's a rhyme and a reason. We just ain't privy to it and we be beatin' ur heads agin' da' wall tryin' ta' figger it out.

I hope it doesn't pass too.

Poor people are the ones that need that money the most.

Yes, they do.

Bill Summary
*HB 0818 by *Campfield. (SB 1240 by *Bunch.)

Lottery, Corporation - As introduced, prohibits certain persons who receive state or federal assistance from being awarded lottery prizes over $600; prohibits persons incarcerated from being awarded lottery prizes. - Amends TCA Title 4, Chapter 51, Part 1.

Fiscal Summary
Decrease State Revenue - $54,000/Human Services Other Fiscal Impact - Decreases net lottery proceeds earmarked for scholarships and grants by an amount estimated to exceed $6,472,500 per year. An increase of after-school funding estimated to be no more than $1,318,500 per year.

Bill Summary
Present law requires that unclaimed lottery prize money be deposited in the after school programs special account; provided, however, that, if the unclaimed prizes in any fiscal year total more than $18,000,000, then the excess accrues to the fund balance of the lottery for education account.

This bill prohibits issuance of lottery prizes in the amount of $600 or more to any person who receives state or federal economic or medical assistance due to indigency and any such prizes otherwise payable to any such persons would be declared unclaimed prizes. The prohibition would not apply to recipients of lottery scholarships or higher education tuition assistance, recipients of benefits from programs administered by the Tennessee housing development agency, and persons receiving other state and federal financial assistance that is not based upon the recipient's indigency.

This bill prohibits convicted criminals who are incarcerated from redeeming winning lottery tickets and any winnings otherwise payable to any such persons would be declared unclaimed prizes.

More Gov. = Less freedom.

I guess no one wants to see someone 'less deserving' win.