Declares Division of State Lottery's new rule concerning online lottery sales inconsistent with legislative intent.
Should ACR127 be enacted, it will require the Division of State Lottery to amend or withdraw the rule within 30 days after the resolution is transmitted. The resolution empowers the legislature to invalidate the rule if the Division does not comply. This move is intended to uphold the original intent of the 'State Lottery Act,' which prohibits entities, including state departments, from functioning purely as lottery sales agents, thereby maintaining a status quo that the legislature believes is essential for the integrity of the lottery system.
ACR127 is an Assembly Concurrent Resolution introduced in New Jersey that specifically addresses the Division of State Lottery's new rule regarding the direct sale of lottery tickets online. This rule, adopted on August 17, 2023, permits the lottery division to sell lottery tickets directly to consumers via its website and mobile applications, effective from October 2, 2023. However, ACR127 declares this rule inconsistent with the legislative intent of the 'State Lottery Act', indicating that the new procedure deviates from what the legislature had intended when enacting the original law governing the state's lottery operations.
The resolution signifies a critical look into the state's regulatory process and reflects the legislature's authority to review administrative rules for consistency with legislative intent. There may be contention surrounding the perceived necessity of the new online selling process by the lottery division, balancing consumer access against the original regulatory framework of lottery sales in New Jersey. Proponents of the resolution aim to preserve traditional lottery operations, emphasizing the adherence to the foundational statutes governing lottery management.