Lotteries; Alabama Education Lottery Commission, further provided; Alabama Education Lottery Trust Fund established, administration and distribution of funds, provided; licensing of lottery reatilers, provided; state tax on lottery revenues, provided; education scholarship program, created.
Impact
A significant component of HB502 is the creation of the Alabama Education Lottery Trust Fund, which will manage funds generated from lottery revenues. Proceeds from the lottery are directed primarily towards education, including the establishment of scholarship programs to assist students in pursuing higher education. Furthermore, the bill mandates the collection of state taxes on lottery revenues, which will contribute additional financial resources for educational initiatives in Alabama, potentially increasing access to education for residents.
Summary
House Bill 502 aims to establish the Alabama Education Lottery under the regulation of the Alabama Education Lottery Commission. This legislation outlines the commission's powers, membership, and responsibilities, which include overseeing the operation and regulation of the lottery, as well as establishing an enforcement division to ensure compliance with state laws governing lottery activities. The bill also details the process for licensing lottery retailers and the requirements they must meet to operate legally.
Contention
The legislation has sparked discussions surrounding its implications on local governance and state control of education funding. Critics argue that while the lottery may provide necessary funding for education, it may also lead to increased gambling in communities and might not address the broader issues of educational inadequacies. Supporters contend that HB502 offers a sustainable revenue source for education and curtails illegal gambling practices by placing oversight within a regulated framework. Ultimately, the bill's enactment will shape the future landscape of public education funding in Alabama.
Alabama Math and Science Teacher Education Program (AMSTEP), renamed the Loan Assistance in Support of Educators in Alabama (LASEA) Program; providing loan assistance in acute educator shortage programs as determined by the Alabama Commission on Higher Education in consultation with the State Department of Education
Alabama Real Estate Commission; prelicense, continuing education schools, instructors established and regulated; licenses, approvals established and further provided for; disciplinary authority, certain fees revised
Alabama Commission on Higher Education; authorized to award loan assistance to athletic trainers under Alabama Math and Science Teacher Education Program
Alabama Commission on Higher Education; authorized to award loan assistance to athletic trainers under Alabama Math and Science Teacher Education Program
Public institutions of higher education, Hunger-Free Campus designation created and provided for, Alabama Commission on Higher Education required to adopt rules
True School Choice for Alabama Act, established to provide education savings accounts (ESAs) for parents of children to use in providing education services for those children.
Appropriations: higher education; appropriations for fiscal year 2025-2026; provide for. Amend secs. 236 & 241 of 1979 PA 94 (MCL 388.1836 & 388.1841).
Appropriations: higher education; appropriations for fiscal year 2023-2024; provide for. Amends secs. 236 & 241 of 1979 PA 94 (MCL 388.1836 & 388.1841).
Establishing the Kansas blueprint for literacy and a literacy advisory committee, directing the board of regents to appoint a director of literacy education, requiring the board of regents and board of education to collaborate on a literacy micro-credential, providing university presidents and deans of education oversight over postsecondary literacy courses, requiring a plan to establish centers of excellence in reading, requiring the board of education to submit annual reports to the legislature on literacy goals; establishing the Kansas education opportunity scholarship to replace the Kansas ethnic minority scholarship, removing limits on Kansas nursing service scholarship awards and modifying the interest rate terms and repayment obligations for such awards, eliminating the requirement to subtract other aid from the state payment for the AO-K program, modifying financial limitations on Kansas hero's scholarship awards and broadening eligibility requirements for such awards.
Appropriations: higher education; appropriations for fiscal year 2023-2024; provide for. Amends secs. 236 & 241 of 1979 PA 94 (MCL 388.1836 & 388.1841).