An Act To Update the Laws Relating to the Tri-state Lotto and the Payment of Prizes to Minors

Sec. 1. 8 MRSA §385,  as corrected by RR 1993, c. 1, §18, is amended to read:

§ 385. Persons under 18 years; payment of prizes

If the person entitled to a prize or any winning ticket is under the age of 18 years and the prize is less than $5,000, the director may direct payment of the prize by delivery of a check or draft payable to the order of the minor to an adult member of the minor's family or a guardian of the minor. If the person entitled to a prize or any winning ticket is under the age of 18 years and the prize is $5,000 or more of age, the director or the director's designee may direct payment to the minor by depositing the amount of the prize in any bank financial institution to the credit of an adult member of the minor's family or guardian as custodian for the minor. The person named as custodian has the same duties and powers as a person designated as a custodian in a manner prescribed by the "Maine Uniform Transfers to Minors Act. " For purposes of this section, the terms "adult member of a minor's family," "guardian of a minor" "custodian" and "bank" "financial institution" have the same meanings as set out in that Act. The director or the director's designee is relieved of all further liability upon payment of a prize to a minor pursuant to this section.

Sec. 2. 8 MRSA §403,  as enacted by PL 1983, c. 732, §1, is amended to read:

§ 403. Statement of purpose

This compact is enacted to implement the operation of Tri-state Lotto for the purpose of raising additional revenue for each of the party states. Tri-state Lotto is not intended to replace any existing lottery games in the party states but, rather, to be run in addition to those games. Tri-state Lotto tickets will be sold in each of the party states and processed in a central area to be determined by the commission. Fifty percent Not less than 50% of the gross sales from each state will be aggregated in a common prize pool, and operating costs will be charged proportionally, according to sales, to the party states. The remaining revenues generated within each state will remain in that particular state.

Sec. 3. 8 MRSA §409, sub-§1, ¶B,  as enacted by PL 1983, c. 732, §1, is amended to read:

Sec. 4. 8 MRSA §409, sub-§1, ¶E,  as enacted by PL 1983, c. 732, §1, is amended to read:

Sec. 5. 8 MRSA §415, sub-§2,  as amended by PL 1999, c. 64, §1, is further amended to read:

Sec. 6. 8 MRSA §416-A, sub-§10,  as enacted by PL 1995, c. 652, §2 and affected by §4, is amended to read:

Sec. 7. 8 MRSA §417,  as enacted by PL 1983, c. 732, §1, is amended to read:

§ 417. Unclaimed prize money

Unclaimed prize money for the prize on a winning ticket shall must be retained by the commission for payment to the person entitled thereto to the prize money for one year after the drawing or selection of a winning ticket in which the prize was won. If no a claim is not made for the prize within one year from the date of the drawing or selection of a winning ticket, the prize money shall must be credited to the prize pool. Upon the expiration of a one-year time period from the drawing date or selection of a winning ticket, the ticket holder shall forfeit forfeits any claim or entitlement to the prize moneys money.

summary

This bill clarifies the payment of lottery prizes to minors. It fixes a discrepancy between the Maine Revised Statutes, Title 8, sections 403 and 415 and sets the minimum payout by the Tri-state Lotto Commission for prizes to not less than 50% of gross sales. It allows for the Tri-state Lotto Commission to implement both draw and instant ticket games as part of the Tri-state Lotto game portfolio. It adds language to require the Tri-state Lotto Commission to offset against winnings, in addition to debts for child support, debts related to unemployment overpayment and tax liabilities.