S402: Allow Lottery Winners To Be Confidential. Latest Version

Session: 2025 - 2026

Senate
Passed 1st Reading
Committee
Rules


AN ACT to allow certain lottery winners to choose to treat as confidential their identifying information.



The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:



SECTION 1.  G.S. 18C‑132 reads as rewritten:



§ 18C‑132.  Procedures for drawings and claiming prizes; payment of prizes; protection of information concerning certain prize winners.





(h)        The right of any person to a prize shall not be assignable. Payment of any prize may be paid to a person designated pursuant to a court order. Any prize or portion of a prize remaining unpaid at the death of a prize winner shall be paid to the estate of the deceased prize winner or to the trustee of a trust established by the prize winner or as designated in the deceased prize winner's will, living trust, or other prepared legal instrument if a copy of the trust document or instrument has been filed with the Director, and no written notice of revocation has been received by the Director prior to the prize winner's death.



(i)         No ticket or share in a lottery game shall be purchased by, and no prize shall be paid to, a member of the Commission, the Director, or employee of the Commission, or to any spouse, parent, or child living in the same household as a person disqualified by this subsection.



(j)         No prize shall be paid to a person under the age of 18.



(j1)       If requested by the prize winner, the identity identifying information of a prize winner of fifty five million dollars ($50,000,000) ($5,000,000) or more shall be treated as confidential information under G.S. 132‑1.2(8) until 90 days after the winner has claimed the prize.except to the extent required to do the following:



(1)        Notify the North Carolina Department of Revenue to comply with subsection (l) of this section.



(2)        Notify the Internal Revenue Service.



(3)        Notify the tax authorities of the state of residence of the prize winner.



(4)        Comply with the debt set‑off program under G.S. 18C‑134 and Chapter 105A of the General Statutes.



(5)        Comply with Article 31 of Chapter 1 of the General Statutes concerning supplemental proceedings against a judgment debtor.



(6)        Comply with a court order.



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SECTION 2.  This act becomes effective July 1, 2025.