HB74: HB74 Georgia Lottery for Education Act; correct a reference; provisions

Georgia's lottery law (O.C.G.A. § 50-27-9) lets the Georgia Lottery Corporation write its own regulations, policies, and procedures to run the lottery. Under current law, most of that rulemaking is exempt from the Georgia Administrative Procedure Act (O.C.G.A. Chapter 13 of Title 50), which normally requires public notice and comment before an agency adopts a rule. This bill rewrites paragraph (19) of that section. It keeps the general exemption for day-to-day lottery game rules, but now says that any licensing rules or procedures for bona fide coin operated amusement machines (COAM), along with hearings between licensees fighting over COAM issues, must follow the full Administrative Procedure Act process. It also says hearings under a specific dispute provision (O.C.G.A. § 50-27-102) must instead follow the Georgia Arbitration Code. The change takes effect as soon as the Governor signs it or it otherwise becomes law.

• Rewrites O.C.G.A. § 50-27-9(a)(19) to correct a cross-reference within the Georgia Lottery for Education Act.
• Keeps most Georgia Lottery Corporation regulations, policies, and procedures exempt from the Georgia Administrative Procedure Act's notice-and-comment rules.
• Requires licensing rules and procedures for coin operated amusement machines (COAM) under Article 3 to follow the full Administrative Procedure Act process.
• Requires administrative hearings between licensees over Article 3 (COAM) disputes to follow the Administrative Procedure Act, with limited exceptions.
• Directs that hearings held under O.C.G.A. § 50-27-102 follow the Georgia Arbitration Code instead of the Administrative Procedure Act.
• Sets the effective date as the date the Governor signs the bill or it otherwise becomes law without signature.

The Georgia Lottery Corporation, which writes and enforces its own rules; businesses and individuals licensed to operate coin operated amusement machines (COAM), such as convenience stores and arcades; and licensees involved in disputes over COAM rules who would go through formal administrative hearings.

The change determines how much public process and formal hearing rights apply when the Georgia Lottery Corporation sets rules for coin operated amusement machines, an industry with real money and licensing stakes, versus its broader authority to manage lottery games without those procedural requirements.

• Section 1 revises paragraph (19) of subsection (a) of O.C.G.A. § 50-27-9, the general powers provision for the Georgia Lottery Corporation.
• Keeps general lottery game rulemaking exempt from the Georgia Administrative Procedure Act (O.C.G.A. Chapter 13 of Title 50).
• Makes COAM licensure rules and Article 3 licensee disputes subject to the Administrative Procedure Act, overriding the general exemption for those specific matters.
• States that hearings under O.C.G.A. § 50-27-102 follow the Georgia Arbitration Code (O.C.G.A. Part 1 of Article 1 of Chapter 9 of Title 9) rather than the Administrative Procedure Act.
• Section 2 sets the effective date as upon the Governor's approval or the bill otherwise becoming law without signature.
• Section 3 repeals any conflicting laws.

1. 2025-05-09Effective Date 2025-05-09
2. 2025-05-09Act 76
3. 2025-05-09House Date Signed by Governor (House)
4. 2025-04-07House Sent to Governor (House)
5. 2025-03-31Senate Passed/Adopted (Senate)
6. 2025-03-31Senate Third Read (Senate)
7. 2025-03-18Senate Read Second Time (Senate)
8. 2025-03-13Senate Committee Favorably Reported (Senate)

• Alan Powell (R, HD-033)Primary sponsor
• Dale Washburn (R, HD-144)
• Rick Jasperse (R, HD-011)
• David Wilkerson (D, HD-038)
• Mary Oliver (D, HD-084)
• Matt Reeves (R, HD-099)
• Clint Dixon (R, SD-045)

1. PassedHouse voteFebruary 13, 2025

   169 yea, 0 nay (3 not voting, 8 absent)

   Passage: House Vote #34

2. PassedSenate voteMarch 31, 2025

   51 yea, 0 nay (2 not voting, 3 absent)

   Passage: Senate Vote #352

• Georgia Lottery Corporation
• coin operated amusement machines
• administrative procedure
• gambling regulation