Lieutenant Governor Bill Halter announced Tuesday that he now has more than enough signatures to get his scholarship lottery proposal on the November ballot.

The symbolic 77,468th signature came from Pulaski Tech student Kendra Bean. She and other college students joined Halter on the steps of the Arkansas State Capitol to show their support.

If the constitutional amendment is approved by voters, it would allow the general assembly to establish, operate and regulate state lotteries to fund college scholarships for Arkansans.

But, the Family Council Action Committee says it will do everything it can to defeat the proposal.

(Bill Halter, Lt. Governor) “This is a wonderful opportunity, I believe, for Arkansas to not only advance our achievement in higher education, but to address the fact that we are 49th in the percentage of our adult population that has a higher education degree.”

(Jerry Cox, Family Council Action Committee) “I think it's morally wrong because of what it does to poor people. It shifts money from the pockets of [the] very poorest people. They are the ones who play the lottery more than anyone else. It shifts that money over into the pockets of other people that are going to go to college. People that are wealthier than they are, and I think that's wrong to treat people that way.”

The Family Council Action Committee hasn't ruled out challenging the measure in court.

Email To A Friend