AUSTIN, Texas (AP) – The Texas Senate has voted to extend the life of the state lottery in a vote that was much less contentious than in the House, where some lawmakers tried to kill it off.
In a unanimous vote with little discussion, the Senate voted Friday to continue the Texas Lottery for another 12 years. Last month, conservatives in the House led a charge to kill the lottery as an immoral tax on the poor.
House members ultimately defeated that effort, but will get another crack at the bill next week. The Senate changed the bill to require an audit of charitable bingo halls to make sure they are giving money to charity. That means the bill still needs House approval.
State lawmakers use about $2 billion from the lottery for education.
Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.
