I'm glad to see this bill fail but I hope that Tennesee has a law that lottery winnings will go to pay debts (child support,etc.) before the winners are paid.

I'm glad it didn't go through. The government needs to stay out of telling people how they can spend their money.

I do not think they should purchase tickets either.

 They are using our money to purchase the tickets. If you need assistance then us it for food and education is the best. Or get a job like other people do. I know of 20 or more people getting assistance and are also working. I wish I could do the same but I am a honest person!!

I'll second that ! 

I receive child support for my oldest daughter.  Even though the money comes from her biological father in Co, because it had to be pried from his slime ball hands through the state, Tennessee considers this a debt from me too.    If I won the jackpot, Tennessee would say I would have to pay some fees back to them even though it should be HIS debt, not mine.  ( what BS!) But that is fine with me.  I never received enough to get worked up over anyway.  They put the screws to me every so often as it is for so called clerical fees where they deduct so much from my check.  Which, in my opinion, should be tacked onto the father rather than me because it's his fault in the first place.  He should have been a gentleman and paid it without all the court battles.

Despite all that, I am in favor for making people pay their debts if they win the lottery jackpot.   But only the Jackpots.   Lower tier prize winnings should be allowed to be enjoyed by all.  Otherwise, why play? 

Besides, wouldn't it feel better to know you don't owe anyone anything?  That all that money is yours for enjoyment? 

But I don't think there is something you guys are considering.  What about those people on disability?  What they are saying here, is if you are disabled, you don't have the right to play the lottery.  I don't see the fairness in that.    Some poeple really can't help their situations.  And what is the big deal if they spend a dollar on a lottery ticket for entertainment?  So what?   I would rather they did that than spend it on drugs or alcohol.

Although I think that the end proposal was not encompasing enough, I think Rep. Stacey Campfield's FOCUS is on folks receiving government aid (anotherwards, monies from the annual tax payers within our country) who are spending perhaps more than $10 a week on lottery tickets ... not folks playing with less of the 'free money' from other people's forced kindnesses (taxes) towards them! 

As far as jail prisoners goes, if I were placed in jail rapidly AFTER the date of winning the jackpot -- I would be furious if some government prevented me from having my winning ticket claimed and receiving my joyous lottery winning monies after the standard paying off judgements and state and fed taxes (to place in an annuity or some sort of savings method via a lawyer I hired ... so that after I had served my sentenance in jail, and had difficulty getting work for income, that I'd have those lottery winnings with interest to give me hope and a livelyhood for a while)!!!

     I'm not a U.S. citizen and have no desire to be because of the fact that the U.S. Government taxes the crap out of its citizens. 

     This article only serves to prove what some people in "high" positions think of the poor.  The thought process it seems is "if you're poor, stay poor - you ain't getting rich off of me".  With regards to the prisoners - I wonder if this woman knows that there are some prisoners who are actually innocent and are serving prison terms for acts they have not committed.  Should they also be deprived of the opportunity to win? Even the guilty ones, lack of money is probably the reason they are in prison.  Why deprive anyone the chance to win?  This is the mindset of bigoted, discriminatory people who are control-freaks ... the kind I abhor.

     For her and others like-minded, a role-reversal would be the perfect judgement - see how she likes it when the poor or the prisoner 'shoes' are on her feet!  I wonder what she would propose then?

I am glad it failed also.  I am tired of those Congressmen sitting on their behinds coming up with stupid legislation such as this.  If they want to do something..let them work on the sorry a$$ed education system so that when one of the kids win a scholarship, they won't flunk out in the first year of college.  They graduate and can't read, write or add.  Fix That!  Get them some comprehensive reading programs, writing programs and math programs and most of all, MAKE THEM WORK FOR THEIR GRADES!!  If they were to work on this, they wouldn't have time to worry about who was buying a lottery ticket.

I agree with you Little, this Campfield guy is a joke and he is the type that gives my republican party a bad name and black eye.

What really burns me up is places like UT hiking the tution up every year knowing the kids are getting lottery money for school, since the lottery started UT has raised tution 5 times.

Hum, actually most of the countries within our world are OVERTAXING their taxpayers (scoundrals that don't pay taxes are quite significant, by the way).  That's what happens when governments get to big and too many unnecessary "aid" programs exist.  Also, a big problem for the U.S.A. is that our quite bankrupt country is still printing more money (sure, let's continue to reduce the value of the Dollar even more!) or taking loans from China, etc. in order to send "natural disasters emergency" money to other countries governments (which of course have no way or interest in paying the money back). 

Best for each country to FOCUS on helping their own citizens first and therefore be PROUD of their country and its citizens.  Then, if the country has  excess money AND the majority of their citizens approve sending to others okey dokey!

I'm glad this didn't pass either. What would be next? If you're on public assistance you can't buy a burger off the dollar menu because you have food stamps and must cook at home? I'm exaggerating but bills like that sit at the top of slippery slopes.

I know, I have a daughter leaving me for college this year.  UT wasn't even an option for her.   She got some shcolarships, because she is really smart, but colleges such as UT are unstable on their tuitions.  And we can't afford to play guessing games.  Besides, the crime rate there is horrible.  Everyday there is something going on at the campus.  She wouldn't even consider UT even though I offered her a house to live in off campus.  (I have a second house I am still paying for...another 10 months to go.) 

Littleoldlady, you said it!    I wish we could elect you to office !

Yeah, either that or some politician will decide you can't buy a burger because it's not healthy enough for you.

I have a much better law for these coneheads to work on:  Pass a law stating that no more laws may be created within the next year.  I think we can all use a break from the stupidity.

From finances to productivity to freedom, we all are much better off when the legislative branch does nothing.

Good that it failed. Because face it, many of the people who play (especially in larger amounts) are people who are more desperate for a win. The state would lose a lot of money. And from a moral standpoint, it wouldn't be fair. I agree that necessities come first but if the people win it should be theirs fair and square, the state makes a good deal off the lottery players. This could be a non-issue, especially if something was enacted for public assistance recepients to pay back their assistance depending on the prize amount. If it's a large jackpot it shouldn't be a huge deal.

I was absolutely furious when I read that a law like this would even be passed.  If someone wins the lotto, especially if they NEED the money, they <snip> well earned the right to collect ALL of their winnnings.  She has no right to tell people they should spend money on our crappy education system (which already gets more than enough money as it is). 

If someone spends all their money on lotto tickets, it's THEIR problem, not the states.  And isn't it counter productive to deprive them of that money that they would need more than ever? 

UGH!!!