Lawmakers argue over state lottery

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- A recent 23 million dollar lottery win<br>by a dozen farmers in Gould started State Representative Cal Hobson<br>thinking.<br> <br>The Lexington Democrat says lots of Oklahomans

Monday, September 13th 1999, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

(Oklahoma City-AP) -- A recent 23 million dollar lottery win
by a dozen farmers in Gould started State Representative Cal Hobson
thinking.

The Lexington Democrat says lots of Oklahomans play the lottery
on Oklahoma money in other states. Lottery proponents claim the
amount spent is around 18 million dollars on the Texas lottery.

Hobson is vice chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

However, Governor Keating's stand is against a lottery for any
purpose.

House Speaker Loyd Benson says it is an unstable way to
underwrite any program. Benson and Keating say lotteries hurt the
segment of the population who can least afford to gamble.

Representative Forrest Claunch leads a group that helped defeat
a 1994 vote. He says a national commission that studied gambling
recommended a moratorium on new lotteries.