Topeka — The legislative debate about extending the Kansas Lottery's life ended Monday as the House sent a compromise bill to Gov. Bill Graves.
The measure, drafted by a committee of House-Senate negotiators, would keep the lottery in business for six years past the expiration date of July 1, 2002, which is set in Kansas law.
House members approved the measure Monday on a vote of 93-28. The Senate approved it Thursday, 33-7.
The bill is the first major legislation to go to Graves this year. The governor and legislative leaders anticipated the lottery would be renewed primarily because of the $60 million it is expected to raise for the state during the budget year that begins July 1.
"It appears to be a measure he can fully support," Graves' spokesman Don Brown said when asked whether the governor would sign the bill.
The sticking point for legislators had been a proposal to use $4 million in lottery revenues to subsidize fares for flights into and from Kansas airports. The House included the plan in its version of the bill, but the Senate didn't even debate the idea.
That lack of debate stirred up enough opposition in the House to prevent passage last week of a compromise that lacked the airfare plan. Some House members said they wanted senators to show them respect.
After senators began work on a separate bill dealing with airfares, opposition to the lottery bill diminished. The final version of the bill doesn't include the airfare plan.
"I think it's time to move on," said Rep. Carlos Mayans, R-Wichita, author of the airfare proposal. "I just hope the Senate goes ahead and carries through."
Senate President Dave Kerr was more relieved than pleased by the House's vote.
"I'm kind of numbed to the whole process because the House kind of dragged it out to excruciating lengths," said Kerr, R-Hutchinson.
Besides extending the lottery, the bill would ban unsolicited lottery advertising by phone or e-mail and prevent the lottery from operating interactive video terminals for games such as video poker. Such practices aren't done now.
It also would require a security audit of the agency at least once every three years.
Some Democrats still wanted to hold up the bill, with a few complaining during final House debate that legislators needed to look more thoroughly at how lottery revenues are spent. Much of the money goes into economic development, but some also pays for education programs, prison maintenance and water conservation.
"I'm glad it's behind us, but I'm disappointed that we didn't have a meaningful debate over how to spend lottery dollars," said Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka. "It's a disservice to our constituents."
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