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HF 161

A bill for an act concerning the withholding of names, addresses, and personally identifiable information of certain lottery prize winners.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Sean Bagniewski

Protects the name, address, and PII of lottery winners of $1,000,000+ who elect anonymity at the time of claim, keeping high-dollar prizes confidential.

Introduced, referred to State Government.
#confidentiality #gambling #lotteries #names
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WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HF 161

Comprehensive Summary: HF 161

Overview

HF 161 is an introduced bill (January 30, 2025) sponsored by primary author Bagniewski and referred to the State Government committee. The bill aims to change the confidentiality of lottery prize winner information by protecting certain personal data for high-dollar prizes.

What the bill would do

  • Adds a confidentiality requirement for the name, address, and personally identifiable information (PII) of lottery prize winners under Code chapter 99G.
  • Applies specifically when:
    • The prize awarded is $1,000,000 or more, and
    • The prize winner elects to remain anonymous at the time of claiming the prize.
  • Under these conditions, the winner’s name, address, and PII would be kept confidential.

Context: current law

  • Presently, lottery player name and address lists are kept confidential only if ordered by a court, by the lawful custodian of the records, or by another person duly authorized to release such information.
  • However, the names and addresses of lottery prize winners are not kept confidential by the Department of Revenue.

Key provisions (highlights)

  • Eligibility for confidentiality: prize >= $1,000,000 and election of anonymity at claim.
  • Scope of confidentiality: name, address, and PII of the winner under Code chapter 99G.
  • Trigger for confidentiality: the anonymity election must occur at the time of claiming the prize.

Who would be affected

  • Lottery prize winners of $1,000,000 or more who choose to remain anonymous when claiming their prize.
  • Department of Revenue (and potentially other custody/release authorities) responsible for handling and maintaining confidentiality.
  • Public records requestors, including journalists and researchers, who would have limited access to certain high-dollar winner information.
  • General public, to the extent that transparency of high-dollar lottery prize winners is altered.

Procedural and timeline aspects

  • Status: Introduced and referred to State Government (January 30, 2025).
  • There is no specific effective date listed in the provided text; typical enactment would follow the normal legislative process (committee consideration, potential floor vote, and gubernatorial approval).
  • The bill references Code chapter 99G for the applicable lottery prize framework.

Notable sponsor information

  • Primary sponsor: BAGNIEWSKI

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Privacy protection for high-dollar lottery winners, reducing public exposure of personal information.
  • Possible tension with transparency and public records expectations for lottery prize information.
  • Administrative implications for the Department of Revenue and other custodians of lottery records in implementing and enforcing confidentiality for qualifying prizes.

If you’d like, I can tailor this summary to emphasize potential stakeholder perspectives (media, public watchdogs, lottery administration) or compare HF 161 to similar confidentiality provisions in other states.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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