Committee approves bill to let Arkansas universities hold raffles under Amendment 84

State Representatives R.J. Hawk and Matthew Shepherd told the Senate Insurance & Commerce Committee that House Bill 1634 would allow Arkansas universities to hold raffles under the constraints of Amendment 84 to raise funds for scholarships, facilities, and, in some cases, name-image-and-likeness support.

The bill’s sponsors said the measure was drafted to comply with the state’s raffle amendment and Department of Finance and Administration oversight. Representative R.J. Hawk described the proposal as “a fundraising bill,” saying it would give smaller institutions new options for travel, scholarships and facility support while allowing larger universities to pursue NIL-related fundraising in ways the bill’s drafters believe fit within Amendment 84.

The committee’s discussion focused on whether using raffle proceeds for NIL payments or other athlete-related compensation would run afoul of Amendment 84’s prohibition on using raffle receipts to “compensate…