HB 175 Summary

• Establishes a statewide special election on November 8, 2016, to allow Mississippi voters to approve or reject a state lottery called the "Mississippi Lottery for Education."

• Creates a state lottery administered by the Mississippi Gaming Commission if voters approve, with proceeds distributed as: 45% for prizes, up to 0.5% for commission administration, 4% to counties where tickets are sold, and remainder to the Mississippi Hope Scholarship Trust Fund.

• Establishes the Mississippi Hope Scholarship Trust Fund to provide tuition scholarships to Mississippi students with a 3.0 GPA who enroll full-time at eligible in-state institutions, with awards limited to one degree per institution.

• Requires individuals and political committees making contributions or expenditures over $200 regarding the lottery proposition to file disclosure reports similar to those required for statewide ballot measures.

• Amends existing gaming and lottery criminal statutes to exempt the authorized state lottery from prohibitions on lotteries, gambling operations, and lottery ticket sales, and modifies minimum age requirements to allow lottery ticket gifts to minors by adults 18 years or older.