House Speaker Richard Corcoran has prevailed in his lawsuit against the Florida lottery. A judge sided with the House over whether the agency violated state laws in awarding a contract.
Corcoran called out the lottery last month for signing a long-term contract with a company to provide new machines by splitting revenues from ticket sales—a move beyond the lottery’s legal spending authority.
The speaker argued the agency did not have the authority to allocate dollars beyond what the legislature says it can. And Tuesday, a Leon County judge agreed. Second Judicial Circuit Judge Karen Gievers says the lottery acted outside its legislative authority in awarding the contract. The lawsuit was aimed at establishing what, if any authority the lottery had in making such large contracts.
Corcoran has been challenging the way state government works, attempting to reign in what he sees as organizations overstepping their boundaries and spending money they don’t have.
