Wisconsin Legislators Unveil 'Lottery Privacy Act'

MADISON, WI -- The same day 24-year-old Manuel Franco was named publicly as Wisconsin's winner of the $768 million Powerball jackpot, Republican legislators announced they're circulating a bill aimed at securing privacy rights for future lottery winners.

Wisconsin Speaker Robin Vos (R-Rochester) and Rep. Gary Tauchen (R-Bonduel) are introducing the Lottery Privacy Act to allow prize winners to remain anonymous. Under Wisconsin law, the winner or winners cannot remain anonymous, and they have 180 days to claim the prize.

“The government shouldn’t force lottery winners to come forward publicly if they don’t want
to,” Vos said in a statement. “Just because you win the lottery, it shouldn’t mean you lose your right to privacy.”

The legislation prohibits the Department of Revenue, lottery administrators and the retailer who sold the ticket from disclosing the lottery prize winner’s name, address or social security number if the individual requests anonymity. Several other states have similar privacy laws for lottery winners, Republican officials said Tuesday.

Officials said the Lottery Privacy Act would maintain the integrity of the state’s lottery program, which would allow certain exemptions for disclosures in order to determine the withholding of winnings for unpaid taxes, court judgments or child support. The location of the ticket sale will continue to be made public.

The bill would be circulated for co-sponsors this week and will be introduced in the Assembly in the coming weeks, officials said.