Last week, the Alabama Senate passed SB 220, the lottery bill sponsored by Sen. Greg Albritton (R-Atmore) by a 21-12 vote.

Now, the future of a lottery in Alabama rests in the lower chamber of the legislature.

In an interview with Huntsville CBS affiliate WHNT, House Speaker Mac McCutcheon (R-Monrovia) pledged that lottery legislation would be a “priority.”

“It will be a priority in the House for sure,” McCutcheon said. “This time the bill that has come from the Senate is what we call a clean lottery bill.”

McCutcheon said he did not foresee a lottery bill headed to the House floor by the end of next week, but he did anticipate hearings.

The Senate bill dedicates lottery proceeds go to the general fund. McCutcheon predicted where the proceeds go in the House version would be the focus of debate.

“Where the funds will go is definitely going to be a point of debate and discussion,” he said. “There are many people that feel strongly about the lottery, but they feel like it needs to go towards the education.”

If passed by the House, it would go before voters in the November 2020 general election. If voters approve, the legislature then would have to set up a lottery commission.

@Jeff_Poor is a graduate of Auburn University, the editor of Breitbart TV and host of “The Jeff Poor Show” from 2-5 p.m. on WVNN in Huntsville.