hb346_LC_21_8129_a_2.html
05 LC 21 8129
House Bill 346
By: Representatives Barnard of the 166th, Keen of the 179th, Harbin of the 118th, Stephens of the 164th, Graves of the 137th, and others

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT

To amend Article 1 of Chapter 27 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to the Georgia Lottery for Education, so as to provide for methods of payment of lottery tickets; to authorize the establishment of a financial account; to provide for the deposit of funds into individual accounts by members of the public; to provide for methods of deposit; to provide that no funds deposited shall be refunded; to provide for abandoned accounts; to authorize and direct the board of trustees to devise a method pursuant to which a person who is eligible to purchase a Georgia lottery ticket may purchase a share in a lottery game by means of a public or private computer terminal or other electronic means; to provide for periodic progress reports; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:

SECTION 1.
Article 1 of Chapter 27 of Title 50 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to the Georgia Lottery for Education, is amended by striking in its entirety paragraph (2) of Code Section 50-27-10, relating to adoption by the board of procedures regulating the conduct of lottery games, and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"(2) The sale price of tickets or shares and the manner of sale; provided, however, that all sales shall be for cash only and payment by checks, credit cards, charge cards, or any form of deferred payment is prohibited by cash, certified funds, debit card, electronic transaction, or credit card; provided, further, that any deposits by credit card shall be limited to $5.00 per day;"

SECTION 2.
Said article is further amended by inserting immediately following Code Section 50-27-23 a new Code section to read as follows:
"50-27-23.1.
(a) The corporation is authorized to establish a financial account designed so that any person who is eligible to purchase Georgia lottery tickets can establish an individual account with Internet access and the ability to monitor and make deposits into the account. Such individual account shall not bear interest. Funds deposited into an individual account shall not be refunded, and the only withdrawals allowed shall be a debiting of the account for the on-line purchase of lottery tickets. Deposits to the individual accounts may be made by any means allowed by Code Section 50-27-10 for the purchase of lottery tickets. Any such individual account showing no activity for a period of one year shall be deemed abandoned and the funds therein shall become the funds of the corporation and treated in the same manner as unclaimed prizes. The corporation is authorized to establish a method so that any person eligible to purchase lottery tickets may establish an account and purchase shares in a lottery game on the Internet by deducting the cost of the purchase from his or her individual account.
(b) The board is authorized and directed to devise a method pursuant to which a person who is eligible to purchase a lottery ticket may purchase tickets or shares in lottery games either through a lottery retailer or by using public or private computer terminals or other electronic devices or means. Such method may be as provided in subsection (a) of this Code section or by such other method as the board deems suitable. The board is authorized to determine which games may be so played and may limit the persons authorized to purchase tickets or shares to Georgia residents. The board is further authorized to make such provisions as may be necessary to comply with federal laws. The board shall initiate the provisions of this subsection not later than December 31, 2007, and shall make periodic progress reports to the Georgia Lottery Corporation Legislative Oversight Committee, the Governor, the Lieutenant Governor, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, with the first such report being due not later than December 31, 2005."

SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.