Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed a bill authored by Assemblywoman Mary Hayashi (D-18th) that will help increase funding for schools through changes to the California State Lottery.

Hayashi, whose district includes Dublin, said the bill, AB 142, makes changes to the Lottery that increases the percentage of revenue that goes back to schools.

"California's budget crisis has had a devastating impact on education," she said. "Supporting our schools must be a priority, and according to the Legislative Analyst's Office, AB 142 will help increase public education funding by hundreds of millions of dollars per year."

"While there is much more to do, this bill will provide some measure of relief to our schools," she added.

AB 142 revises the California State Lottery Act, increasing the percentage of lottery revenue that goes back to the public by reducing administrative expenses from 16 percent to 13 percent. The bill brings California's lottery structure in line with other large state lottery systems, including Texas, North Carolina, and Florida, which have shown an increase in revenue through similar changes.

AB 142 passed with bipartisan support, including a unanimous vote in the Senate and a 68 to 1 vote in the Assembly. As an urgency measure, the bill is effective immediately.

Hayashi is the chair of the Business, Professions, and Consumer Protection Committee and serves the 18th Assembly District, which includes Dublin, San Leandro, Hayward and parts of Pleasanton, Castro Valley and Oakland, as well as the unincorporated areas of Ashland, Cherryland, San Lorenzo and Sunol.

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