A pair of bills calling for a vote on a statewide lottery have been introduced in the Alabama Legislature.

Sen. Jim McClendon, R-Springville, is sponsoring SB 116, which would also legalize gambling at existing racetracks in Greene, Jefferson, Macon and Mobile counties as well as an additional location in Lowndes County. It would split state gaming revenues equally between the General Fund and Education Trust Fund budgets. 

SB 220, by Sens. Greg Albritton, R-Range, and Del Marsh, R-Anniston, would limit the lottery to traditional paper tickets. State revenues would be used to repay money borrowed from the Alabama Trust Fund and then would be split equally between that account and the General Fund budget.

The Alabama Farmers Federation policy opposes legalized gambling but provides for the study of proposals to ensure any measure passed by the Legislature is held to high ethical standards in an effort to prevent corruption. The policy calls on the Federation to work with other interested parties to make sure the economic impact and social cost to communities of any bill is considered.