By DUREN CHEEK
Bill sponsors fear launch of games will be delayed
Concerned that African-American students may be passed over by a lottery-supported college scholarship program, the legislative Black Caucus is expected to vote soon on whether to recommend lowering the proposed 3.0 grade-point average required to obtain and keep a scholarship.
Sponsors of a bill creating a state lottery expressed concern yesterday that the legislation is becoming bogged down in the General Assembly by that dispute and others.
Sen. Steve Cohen, D-Memphis, and Rep. Chris Newton, R-Cleveland, had said earlier they hoped to have the lottery up and running by Christmas but acknowledged yesterday that they may not meet that goal.
'It looks like the process is bogging down,' Cohen said. 'The Government Operations Committee wants a couple of weeks to look at it. We may not go by Christmas Day.'
Cohen said he is confident that the bill will pass but said: 'I have concern it may not pass as fast as I would like to see it.'
Each week that goes by without a lottery is costing the state $4 million-$4.5 million in lost funds, he said.
State Rep. Tommie Brown, D-Chattanooga, chairwoman of the legislative Black Caucus, urged NAACP leaders from across the state this week to urge legislators who represent them to lower the proposed grade-point level.
Brown said yesterday that she had appointed a special committee to come up with a proposal on the GPA that would be required for the scholarships. The caucus will then vote on the recommendation.
'Various members of the caucus have individually, in their capacities of representatives, expressed concern about the 3.0,' Brown said. 'The caucus has not taken a position at this point, but it shall take a position.
'My lifetime of experience and hard work shows that when we raise the GPA, we eliminate a certain number of folk. All too often, these are the individuals we are trying to assist.'
Cohen said lowering the GPA would 'break the bank' because more students would receive scholarships.
'When you lower the GPA, it does permit a lot more students to participate, but it also costs a lot more money.'
Lowering the GPA requirement to 2.75 would cost $38 million-$40 million extra, and lowering it to 2.5 would cost $80 million extra, Cohen said. 'It is money we don't have,' Cohen said. 'We can't print money.'
Newton said the Tennessee lottery was sold to the public as a Georgia-type model 'to help out the best and brightest.
'You want to reward those students who worked very hard during high school to make those grades and there should be a reward for that,' Newton said.
Another issue is whether students in private colleges should receive scholarships in the same amount as those attending public institutions. The committee studying the issue has recommended $4,000 annual scholarships for students attending public schools and $2,000 for those at private schools.
Other issues include who would sit on the board of the corporation that would run the lottery, what sort of regulations, if any, are needed on 501c(3) charities that could stage lottery-type games under the bill.
As proposed by Cohen and Newton, the board would be composed of seven members — three appointed by the speaker of the House, three by the speaker of the Senate and one by the governor.
Gov. Phil Bredesen objects, saying the governor appoints the lottery boards in most states.
Cohen subsequently said he would be willing to go for a nine-member arrangement like in South Carolina, where the governor appoints three members and the House and Senate speakers appoint three each.
Cohen yesterday released a letter that he received from Ernest L. Passailaigue, a South Carolina state senator who was instrumental in passing that state's lottery legislation. In the letter, Passailaigue called the 3-3-3 plan 'a blueprint for success.'
'If you give either the majority or all of the appointment powers to the governor, then you are developing a roadmap for trouble.
'If this occurs then the commission appointees may simply be awarded to the governor's largest campaign contributors.'
Source: www.tennessean.com
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