ATLANTA – State Representative Sandra Scott (D-Rex) recently introduced House Bill 14 and House Resolution 7, legislation which would direct the Georgia Lottery Corporation to offer one or more lottery games to benefit homeless military veterans.
“Creating a lottery scratch off ticket to help end Georgia’s Homeless Veterans population would be a win-win,” said Rep. Scott. “As a former staff sergeant in the US Army and a veteran who is involved in different organizations, it is crucial that we do the right thing for our homeless veterans. This legislation would not draw money from different organizations, rather, it would create a lottery ticket in which proceeds would be raised to help end veteran homelessness. Further, this legislation would not take funds away from the existing HOPE scholarship to help students attend college, but creating a new lottery ticket would generate enough money to support education and possibly end veteran’s homelessness.”
HB 14 would allow the Georgia Lottery Corporation to offer one or more lottery games to assist homeless military veterans in Georgia, and the proceeds would be deposited into the state’s general fund. The bill provides that the Governor would make specific budget recommendations on how these funds should appropriated in order to eliminate homelessness, prevent near-term homelessness and provide safe and secure living conditions for homeless military veterans.
HR 7 proposes a constitutional amendment that would authorize the Georgia General Assembly to appropriate proceeds of these lottery games operated by the state lottery to benefit homeless military veterans.
“Georgia has thousands of veterans, and they should not be forced to sleep in cars on the streets when we are capable of creating something that could ultimately end veteran homelessness,” added Rep. Scott. “We should let the people decide whether they would support a lottery ticket that would help put an end to veteran homelessness in Georgia.”
For more information on HB 14, please click here, and for more information on HR 7, please click here.
Representative Sandra Scott represents the citizens of District 76, which includes portions of Clayton and Henry counties. She was first elected to the House Representatives in 2010 and currently serves on the Defense & Veterans Affairs, Human Relations & Aging, Legislative and Congressional Reapportionment, Science and Technology and Special Rules committees.
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