During a press conference Tuesday, Alabama Sen. Jim McClendon, R-Springville, announced that he planned to file two bills aimed at clearing the way for Alabamians to play a “clean” lottery.

The first bill is an amendment to the state’s constitution to allow for a lottery to be established and the second is a legislative bill that outlines how the lottery would be administered.

“For too long, the people of Alabama have been forced to drive to Tennessee, Florida and Georgia to buy lottery tickets,” McClendon said. “Alabama dollars are being spent in neighboring states, funding their schools and their infrastructure projects, it is overwhelmingly clear that the people of Alabama want to vote on a lottery.”

McClendon’s “clean” lottery bill would only establish an Alabama lottery and not allow for the establishment of casinos or card and table games.

The proceeds from the lottery would be divided equally between the Education Trust Fund and the General Fund, for state troopers, Medicaid and other agencies.

“It’s time we let the people vote,” McClendon said.

Along with establishing a lottery in the state, McClendon’s legislation would establish the Alabama Lottery Commission, whose members would be appointed by the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Alabama Senate President Pro Tem and Speaker of the House.

The commission would issue a “Request for Proposal” and choose a private company to manage the lottery in conjunction with the commission.

The lottery company would not be allowed to contribute to political action committees (PACs) or candidates and only residents 18 or over would be allowed to purchase tickets.

According to a MarketWatch article in 2017, the 43 states then offering state lotteries collected a combined $66.8 billion, with the average American spending nearly $207 annually on tickets.

McClendon tried a similar approach to lottery legislation in 2016, but the legislation stalled.