SENATE APPROVES MEGA MILLIONS BILL.

Byline: Steve Geissinger Sacramento Bureau

SACRAMENTO - A bill designed to make the Mega Millions lottery legal in California was approved by the Senate on Wednesday, despite resistance from the Schwarzenegger administration and state lottery.

In a 28-9 vote, the Senate approved the bill that would amend the voter- approved Lottery Act to authorize California's current participation in the multistate game. The bill now goes to the Assembly. Many Republicans had opposed the bill at the request of the administration. Both the administration and state lottery officials want to add international and Internet games to the measure, which now blocks such games.

GOP lawmakers also said the administration's position is that the state's participation in Mega Millions already is legal.

Californians Against Gambling Expansion has sued the state claiming Mega Millions is unconstitutional because the policy-setting Lottery Commission did not first seek voter approval or get the Legislature's nod.

Sen. Debra Bowen, D-Marina Del Rey, said foes of the bill by Sen. Dean Florez, a Shafter Democrat whose committee oversees the lottery, are ``objecting in particular to the measures that would prohibit the lottery from taking part in any international or Internet-based lottery without the permission of the Legislature.''

``I'm extremely disappointed lottery commissioners would want to set up a situation in which they can take part in international and Internet lotteries without complying with the Lottery Act provision'' requiring prior approval, she said.

The state lottery - money from which is used to fund education - has studied such expansions in the past, and Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger viewed the addition of Mega Millions as a way to raise revenue amid state deficit woes.

Lottery commissioners could not be reached for comment. The acting lottery director quit last week amid the legal and political battles and an interim director has not yet been appointed.

Schwarzenegger's office said it does not comment on bills before they reach the governor's desk.

Steve Geissinger, [phone]

sgeissinger(at)angnewspapers.com