BILL REQUIRES BIG TICKET BUYERS TO GIVE NAMES

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 26, 1992                   TAG: 9202260321
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B-3   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Medium
BILL REQUIRES BIG TICKET BUYERS TO GIVE NAMES
Block-buyers of lottery tickets would have to disclose their names and other identifying information to the state under a bill introduced Tuesday by Del. George Grayson, D-Williamsburg.
The measure may be heard today by the House General Laws Committee.
"I believe that Virginians should know the identity and basic information about those individuals and groups who are making block purchases," Grayson said. "Above all, we want to ensure that tainted money is not being channeled into Virginia's lottery."
Lottery officials believe an Australian syndicate may have pumped up to $5 million into the Feb. 15 Lotto drawing. While no winner of the $27 million prize has come forward, the group apparently made huge buys of tickets through grocery and convenience store outlets in Hampton Roads and Richmond.
While nothing in Virginia law, or those of any of the 33 other jurisdictions that also run lotteries, prevents block purchases, the Virginia Lottery Board is expected to set some limits next week.
In other General Assembly action Tuesday, the Senate Committee on Privileges and Elections balked, voting 11-4 to not alter the way Virginia votes in the Electoral College.
The Electoral College convenes after every popular vote for president and does the real electing.
Each state sends one delegate to the Electoral College for each congressional district, plus one for each senator. In Virginia this year, that's 13 electors.
For 192 years, Virginia has instructed its electors to vote in a bloc for whoever carried the state in the popular balloting.
A proposal pushed by Del. James Scott, D-Merrifield, would have required each elector to vote the way his or her congressional district voted, with the two at-large delegates still casting for the overall winner.
Scott vowed to push the idea again next year. - Staff report

by Bhavesh Jinadra by CNB