Public Safety and Security Committee
JOINT FAVORABLE REPORT
Bill No.: HB-6038
Title: AN ACT CONCERNING THE PROMOTION OF LOTTERY WINNINGS.
Vote Date: 3/24/2021
Vote Action: Joint Favorable
PH Date: 3/2/2021
File No.:
Disclaimer: The following JOINT FAVORABLE Report is prepared for the benefit of the
members of the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and
explanation and does not represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber
thereof for any purpose.
SPONSORS OF BILL:
Public Safety and Security Committee
Co-Sponsor: Rep. John K. Hampton, 16th Dist.
REASONS FOR BILL:
This bill would require that the CT Lottery not publish without written consent the photograph
of a person who redeems a winning lottery ticket on the website and if requested will remove
a person's name from the list of winners no later than five days after receiving the request.
This would keep the information private for those to wish to keep it private.
RESPONSE FROM ADMINISTRATION/AGENCY:
Robert T. Simmelkjaer II, Chairperson, Board of Directors and Gregory Smith,
President and CEO of CT. Lottery
We at CT Lottery appreciate the interest in protecting player safety by allowing certain lottery
prize winners to remain anonymous. Under the Freedom of Information in Connecticut, a
winner's name and town of residence is a matter of public record, unless they can
demonstrate a safety risk through a protective order or other means. CT Lottery does not
publish photographs of lottery winners without written consent.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT:
Timothy C. Ward, Simsbury, CT
Mr. Ward is in support of this bill. Winning a lottery jackpot can be a life changing and the
larger jackpots can bring more extreme changes. Add to it the whole world knows about your
new-found wealth, can cause many to contact you for nefarious reasons. When the
information is public you can be a target of relentless and unmerciful harassment.
NATURE AND SOURCES OF OPPOSITION:
Colleen M. Murphy, Executive Director, General Counsel, Freedom of Information
Commission
Ms. Murphy is in opposition to this bill. The Commission questions the public policy behind
such a proposal. There are reasons for disclosure of the names of winners who voluntarily
participate in a lottery system offered by a quasi-public agency. Access to public information
ensures that winnings are distributed fairly and guards against wrongdoing in the system.
Public information will likely keep abuse from being hidden.
Reported by: Bonnie Gray, Asst. Clerk Date: 4/5/2021
Page 2 of 2 HB-6038


Statutes affected:
Committee Bill: 12-814
PS Joint Favorable: 12-814
File No. 380: 12-814
Public Act No. 21-63: 12-814