Oklahoma State Senate
Senator Jay Paul Gumm
Assistant Majority Leader
Atoka, Bryan, Coal, Johnston & Marshall Counties


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For Immediate Release: October 7, 2005


Senator Jay Paul Gumm

Finance Chair says Ticket Decision Should be Reversed;
Lawler Bill to Reverse Decision First Up Next Year

The Senate Finance Committee chair echoed the sentiments of Senator Daisy Lawler and called on the Lottery Commission to reverse their decision to allow lottery tickets to be sold at pawn shops and payday loan companies.

“Senator Lawler is right on the money to ask the lottery commission to reverse this decision, and I join her in that call,” Gumm, an Assistant Majority Leader in the Senate, said. “This was a bad decision made by good people that needs to be reversed as soon as possible.”

Gumm, a Democrat from Durant, said although the Lottery Commission has vowed to revisit the issue at an emergency meeting next Tuesday, he believes the Legislature should pass a law banning the sale of lottery tickets at pawn shops and payday loan companies.

“I will support Senator Lawler’s bill to ban the sale of lottery tickets at pawn shops and payday loans centers,” Gumm said. “In fact as Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee I am committed to placing the bill on the very first agenda when the committee convenes at the beginning of the next legislative session.”

Gumm said the Lottery Commission could fulfill its mandate from the people of Oklahoma without selling tickets at pawn shops and payday loan centers.

“Oklahomans overwhelmingly supported creation of an Education Lottery in last November’s elections,” Gumm said. “However, I doubt that my constituents who voted for the lottery wanted to see tickets sold in pawn shops or payday loan centers. I believe Senator Lawler’s proposals would implement the lottery the way Oklahomans envisions it.”