SPRINGFIELD – Despite an attempt by Governor Rod Blagojevich to weaken the law with an amendatory veto, legislation sponsored by state Rep. Karen Yarbrough (D-Maywood) to create a “Quality of Life” lottery ticket to fund HIV/AIDS prevention in Illinois passed the General Assembly on Thursday and became law.

“The governor agreed that the Quality of Life lottery ticket should be offered to the people of Illinois, but he tried to change the program in a way that could limit its availability to a single nine-month period,” Yarbrough said.  “The money raised from this program will go directly to at-risk communities, and it’s important that this new funding mechanism be available at all times.”

Yarbrough’s Senate Bill 774 creates the Quality of Life Board within the Illinois Department of Revenue.  The board will work with the department to create and market an instant scratch-off game in the state lottery that sets aside all net revenues (ticket sales after payouts) for organizations involved in HIV/AIDS prevention.  Organizations will compete for grants based on size, with larger groups receiving bigger grants.  The funds received may not be used for institutional, organizational or community-based overhead costs, indirect costs, or tax levies.

The measure passed the General Assembly in June and received an amendatory veto from the governor in August.  His changes, if accepted by the General Assembly, would stipulate that no more than two charity scratch-off tickets could be offered for sale at one time, and for no longer than nine months.  If more than two tickets are created, new ones would be put on a waiting list until preceding tickets moved to the bottom of the list.  Since Yarbrough’s ticket expires in 2012, the governor’s changes might have made the ticket available only once before it expired.

“Minority communities are hit hardest by HIV and AIDS, and it’s important that we direct funds to community-based organizations that have a proven track record,” Yarbrough added.  “What’s great about charity scratch-off tickets is that people can make a donation to a cause they support at their local convenience store, without filling out paperwork or being put on a mailing list.”

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, African Americans account for half of all new HIV cases.  After learning that black women are 24 times more likely to get HIV or AIDS than other ethnic groups, Yarbrough teamed up with state Sen. Jacqueline Collins (D-Chicago) to work towards a new source of HIV/AIDS prevention funding.

For more information, contact Yarbrough’s constituent service office at 708-615-1747.

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