A RESOLUTION to propose an amendment to Article XI, Section 5 of the Constitution of Tennessee, relative to lotteries.
Summary
HJR0146 proposes a constitutional amendment to Article XI, Section 5 of the Tennessee Constitution to create a narrow exception to the state’s general prohibition on lotteries and lottery-type events. Under the amendment, local boards of education would be authorized to approve lotteries conducted by a nonprofit school support organization, so long as the net proceeds are allocated to the local education agency for educational or extracurricular purposes.
The resolution is framed as a school-funding measure. Its stated purpose is to give school districts another tool to raise money for educational programs and extracurricular activities, with the expectation that the added revenue could help sustain existing offerings and support new ones. Because it is a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment, it does not itself change the constitution; instead, it would place the proposed language before the next General Assembly and require the amendment process to continue before any change could take effect.
Impact
If adopted through the constitutional amendment process, the bill would modify Tennessee’s constitutional lottery ban by allowing a specific class of lottery-type fundraising events tied to local school systems. It would affect Article XI, Section 5 of the Tennessee Constitution and would rely on state law definitions of a “nonprofit school support organization” and the rules governing how proceeds are handled. In practical terms, local education agencies and school-affiliated nonprofit fundraising groups would gain a new fundraising mechanism, while the state would retain limits by requiring proceeds to be used only for educational or extracurricular purposes.
Sentiment
The available committee votes suggest generally favorable sentiment toward the proposal, with the measure advancing at each stage by comfortable margins. The subcommittee and committee actions indicate support for expanding school fundraising options, and there is no recorded transcript showing organized opposition in the provided materials. The bill’s framing around education funding and extracurricular support likely contributed to its positive reception.
Contention
The main point of contention is the constitutional and policy question of whether lotteries should be expanded beyond the current prohibition, even in a limited school-related form. Supporters emphasize the benefit to local school funding and extracurricular programs, while any opposition would likely focus on preserving the constitutional ban on lotteries, concerns about setting a precedent for broader exceptions, and questions about oversight of nonprofit-run lottery events. The committee vote in the House State & Local Government Committee, which included four nays, suggests some disagreement remained even as the proposal advanced.
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