Georgia 2025-2026 Regular Session

Georgia House Bill HR450 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	25 LC 55 0450
2	2	House Resolution 450
3	3	By: Representatives Wiedower of the 121
4	4	st
5	5	, Martin of the 49
6	6	th
7	7	, Williams of the 168
8	8	th
9	9	,
10	10	Williams of the 148
11	11	th
12	12	, Hugley of the 141
13	13	st
14	14	, and others
15	15	A RESOLUTION
16	16	Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the State of Georgia so as to authorize the
17	17	1
18	18	Georgia General Assembly to provide by general law for sports betting in this state; to2
19	19	provide for the regulation and allocation of revenues of such activities; to provide for related3
20	20	matters; to provide for the submission of this amendment for ratification or rejection; and for4
21	21	other purposes.5
22	22	BE IT RESOLVED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:6
23	23	SECTION 1.7
24	24	Article I, Section II of the Constitution is amended by revising Paragraph VIII as follows:8
25	25	"Paragraph VIII. Lotteries,
26	26	and nonprofit bingo games, raffles by nonprofit9
27	27	organizations, and sports betting. (a) Except as herein specifically provided in this10
28	28	Paragraph VIII, all lotteries, and the sale of lottery tickets, and all forms of sports betting,11
29	29	pari-mutuel betting, and casino gambling are hereby prohibited; and this prohibition shall12
30	30	be enforced by penal laws.13
31	31	(b) The General Assembly may by law provide that the operation of a nonprofit bingo14
32	32	game shall not be a lottery and shall be legal in this state. The General Assembly may by15
33	33	law define a nonprofit bingo game and provide for the regulation of nonprofit bingo games.16
34	34	H. R. 450
35	35	- 1 - 25 LC 55 0450
36	36	(c) The General Assembly may by law provide for the operation and regulation of a17
37	37	lottery or lotteries by or on behalf of the state and for any matters relating to the purposes18
38	38	or provisions of this subparagraph. Proceeds derived from the lottery or lotteries operated19
39	39	by or on behalf of the state, as well as proceeds received by the Georgia Lottery20
40	40	Corporation from its participation in any activities authorized by subparagraph (f) of this21
41	41	Paragraph, shall be used to pay the operating expenses of the lottery or lotteries, including22
42	42	all prizes, as well as the operating expenses of the Georgia Lottery Corporation relating to23
43	43	its participation in any activities authorized by subparagraph (f) of this Paragraph without24
44	44	any appropriation required by law, and for educational programs and purposes as25
45	45	hereinafter provided. Lottery proceeds and proceeds received by the Georgia Lottery26
46	46	Corporation from its participation in any activities authorized by subparagraph (f) of this27
47	47	Paragraph shall not be subject to Article VII, Section III, Paragraph II; Article III,28
48	48	Section IX, Paragraph VI(a); or Article III, Section IX, Paragraph IV(c), except that the net29
49	49	proceeds after payment of such operating expenses shall be subject to Article VII,30
50	50	Section III, Paragraph II. Net proceeds after payment of such operating expenses shall be31
51	51	separately accounted for and shall be specifically identified by the Governor in his or her32
52	52	annual budget presented to the General Assembly as a separate budget category entitled33
53	53	'Lottery Proceeds,' and the Governor shall make specific recommendations as to34
54	54	educational programs and educational purposes to which said net proceeds shall be35
55	55	appropriated. In the General Appropriations Act adopted by the General Assembly, the36
56	56	General Assembly shall appropriate all net proceeds of the lottery or lotteries and all net37
57	57	proceeds received by the Georgia Lottery Corporation from its participation in any38
58	58	activities authorized by subparagraph (f) of this Paragraph by such separate budget39
59	59	category to educational programs and educational purposes. Such net proceeds shall be40
60	60	used to support improvements and enhancements for educational programs and purposes41
61	61	and such net proceeds shall be used to supplement, not supplant, non-lottery other42
62	62	educational resources for educational programs and purposes. The educational programs43
63	63	H. R. 450
64	64	- 2 - 25 LC 55 0450
65	65	and educational purposes for which proceeds may be so appropriated shall include only the
66	66	44
67	67	following:45
68	68	(1) Tuition grants, scholarships, or loans to citizens of this state to enable such citizens46
69	69	to attend colleges and universities located within this state, regardless of whether such47
70	70	colleges or universities are operated by the board of regents, or to attend institutions48
71	71	operated under the authority of the Department of Technical and Adult Education
72	72	49
73	73	Technical College System of Georgia;50
74	74	(2) Voluntary pre-kindergarten;51
75	75	(3) One or more educational shortfall reserves in a total amount of not less than52
76	76	10 percent of the net proceeds of the lottery for the preceding fiscal year;53
77	77	(4) Costs of providing to teachers at accredited public institutions who teach54
78	78	levels K-12, personnel at public postsecondary technical institutes under the authority of55
79	79	the Department of Technical and Adult Education Technical College System of Georgia,56
80	80	and professors and instructors within the University System of Georgia the necessary57
81	81	training in the use and application of computers and advanced electronic instructional58
82	82	technology to implement interactive learning environments in the classroom and to access59
83	83	the state-wide distance learning network; and60
84	84	(5) Capital outlay projects for educational facilities;61
85	85	provided, however, that no funds shall be appropriated for the items listed in paragraphs (4)62
86	86	and (5) of this subsection subparagraphs (c)(4) and (c)(5) of this Paragraph until all persons63
87	87	eligible for and applying for assistance as provided in paragraph (1) of this subsection64
88	88	subparagraph (c)(1) of this Paragraph have received such assistance, all approved65
89	89	pre-kindergarten programs provided for in paragraph (2) of this subsection66
90	90	subparagraph (c)(2) of this Paragraph have been fully funded, and the education shortfall67
91	91	reserve or reserves provided for in paragraph (3) of this subsection subparagraph (c)(3) of68
92	92	this Paragraph have been fully funded.69
93	93	H. R. 450
94	94	- 3 - 25 LC 55 0450
95	95	(d) The General Assembly may by law provide for the operation and regulation of sports70
96	96	betting activities. The proceeds derived from the taxation of such sports betting activities71
97	97	shall be paid into and dedicated to a special trust fund to be created by the Georgia General72
98	98	Assembly and designated as the 'Georgia Sports Betting Proceeds Trust Fund,' from which73
99	99	funds shall be used as provided for in subparagraph (e) of this Paragraph. All other74
100	100	proceeds derived from the regulation of such sports betting activities shall, notwithstanding75
101	101	the provisions of Article VII, Section III, Paragraph II(a) and without any appropriation76
102	102	required by law, be used to pay the operating expenses and, as may be provided by law, to77
103	103	fund any operating reserves relating to the regulation of the sports betting activities78
104	104	authorized by this subparagraph, except that the net proceeds after payment of such79
105	105	operating expenses and the funding of such operating reserves shall be paid into the80
106	106	Georgia Sports Betting Proceeds Trust Fund.81
107	107	(e)(1) Proceeds derived from the sports betting activities authorized by82
108	108	subparagraph (d) of this Paragraph that are required to be paid into the Georgia Sports83
109	109	Betting Proceeds Trust Fund shall not be subject to the provisions of Article III, Section84
110	110	IX, Paragraph VI, relating to the allocation of proceeds, or Article VII, Section III,85
111	111	Paragraph II(a), relating to payment into the general fund of the state treasury, and shall86
112	112	be specifically identified by the Governor in his or her annual budget presented to the87
113	113	General Assembly as a separate budget category entitled 'Sports Betting Proceeds.' Such88
114	114	proceeds that are paid into the Georgia Sports Betting Trust Fund shall be appropriated89
115	115	by the General Assembly as follows:90
116	116	(A) Fifteen percent of the first $150 million of such proceeds in a fiscal year shall be91
117	117	appropriated by the General Assembly for programs and services that seek to prevent92
118	118	individuals from experiencing, and provide assistance to individuals who experience,93
119	119	addiction or other problems relating to betting or gambling; and94
120	120	(B) Eighty-five percent of the first $150 million of such proceeds in a fiscal year and95
121	121	all such proceeds in excess of $150 million in a fiscal year shall be appropriated by the96
122	122	H. R. 450
123	123	- 4 - 25 LC 55 0450
124	124	General Assembly for voluntary pre-kindergarten and the other educational programs97
125	125	and purposes set forth in subparagraph (c) of this Paragraph.98
126	126	(2) Appropriations of such proceeds paid into the Georgia Sports Betting Proceeds99
127	127	Trust Fund by the General Assembly that are made pursuant to subparagraph (e)(1)(B)100
128	128	of this Paragraph shall not be subject to the provisions of Article III, Section IX,101
129	129	Paragraph IV(c), relating to the lapsing of funds.102
130	130	(f) The Georgia Lottery Corporation may be authorized by law to participate in any103
131	131	sports betting activities provided for by the General Assembly pursuant to subparagraph (d)104
132	132	of this Paragraph; provided, however, that all proceeds received by the Georgia Lottery105
133	133	Corporation from its participation in such sports betting activities shall be used in106
134	134	accordance with the provisions of subparagraph (c) of this Paragraph. Any proceeds107
135	135	derived from any tax imposed by law upon the Georgia Lottery Corporation's participation108
136	136	in such sports betting activities shall be used in accordance with the provisions of109
137	137	subparagraph (e) of this Paragraph.110
138	138	(d)(g) On and after January 1, 1995, the holding of raffles by nonprofit organizations111
139	139	shall be lawful and shall not be prohibited by any law enacted prior to January 1, 1994. 112
140	140	Laws enacted on or after January 1, 1994, however, may restrict, regulate, or prohibit the113
141	141	operation of such raffles."114
142	142	SECTION 2.115
143	143	The above proposed amendment to the Constitution shall be published and submitted as116
144	144	provided in Article X, Section I, Paragraph II of the Constitution. The ballot submitting the117
145	145	above proposed amendment shall have written or printed thereon the following:118
146	146	"( ) YES119
147	147	( ) NO120
148	148	121
149	149	Shall the Constitution of Georgia be amended so as to authorize sports
150	150	betting in this state to provide additional funding for pre-kindergarten and
151	151	HOPE scholarships?"
152	152	H. R. 450
153	153	- 5 - 25 LC 55 0450
154	154	All persons desiring to vote in favor of ratifying the proposed amendment shall vote "Yes."
155	155	122
156	156	All persons desiring to vote against ratifying the proposed amendment shall vote "No." If123
157	157	such amendment shall be ratified as provided in said Paragraph of the Constitution, it shall124
158	158	become a part of the Constitution of this state.125
159	159	H. R. 450
160	160	- 6 -