SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 335 Offered January 10, 2007 Prefiled January 4, 2007 Directing the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission to study the distribution of net lottery profits. Report. ---------- Patron-- Ruff ---------- Referred to Committee on Rules ----------

WHEREAS, the Virginia lottery generated in excess of $450 million in net lottery profits for the last fiscal year; and

WHEREAS, Article X, § 7-A of the Constitution of Virginia provides that all net lottery profits shall be appropriated "...to the Commonwealth's counties, cities and towns, and the school divisions thereof, to be expended for the purposes of public education"; and

WHEREAS, lottery profits are an important financial component in assisting localities to meet the steadily increasing costs of meeting Virginia's standards of quality and providing a quality education for every child in Virginia; and

WHEREAS, the exact distribution mechanism of how these lottery profits are distributed to Virginia's school divisions has never been examined; and

WHEREAS, the General Assembly of Virginia has a duty to ensure that every single dollar of lottery profits are distributed as fairly as possible; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED by the Senate, the House of Delegates concurring, That the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission be directed to study the distribution of net lottery profits.

In conducting its study, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall examine the current distribution formula and determine if it can be improved so that greater equity can be achieved.

Technical assistance shall be provided to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission by the Virginia Lottery Department. All agencies of the Commonwealth shall provide assistance to the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission for this study, upon request.

The Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission shall complete its meetings for the first year by November 30, 2007, and for the second year by November 30, 2008, and the chairman shall submit to the Division of Legislative Automated Systems an executive summary of its findings and recommendations no later than the first day of the next Regular Session of the General Assembly for each year. Each executive summary shall state whether the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission intends to submit to the General Assembly and the Governor a report of its findings and recommendations for publication as a House or Senate document. The executive summaries and reports shall be submitted as provided in the procedures of the Division of Legislative Automated Systems for the processing of legislative documents and reports and shall be posted on the General Assembly's website.