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Advocacy Group Fights Bill to Keep Lottery Winners Anonymous

A local free speech advocacy group is denouncing a bi-partisan proposal being considered by the state Senate to allow lottery winners to remain anonymous.

The Georgia First Amendment Foundation says in a statement that allowing the government to hand out millions to private citizens without a public record is a bad idea.

Democratic Sen. Steve Henson, who sponsored the bill, says protecting the identity of lottery winners is a matter of public safety. The proposed bill would allow winners to remain anonymous only if they request it and pay up to four percent of their winnings to the lottery.

Currently the Georgia Lottery Corporation is required to release certain information about winners including their name and hometown.

At least six other states have similar privacy laws.