Ch. 782

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Preamble

WHEREAS, Current law implies that a winner of a State
lottery drawing must claim a prize within 180 days after the
drawing in which the prize is won, but does not state that
requirement explicitly; and

WHEREAS, The calculation of the deadline using 180 days has
resulted in at least one lottery prize claimant being denied
payment of the prize as a result of miscalculation of the
deadline; and

WHEREAS, Changing the period for claiming a prize from 180
days to 6 months would make it easier for a prize winner to
calculate the deadline for claiming a prize and would not unduly
burden the State Lottery Agency; now, therefore,

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF
MARYLAND, That the Laws of Maryland read as follows:

Article - State Government

9-122.

(e)  (1) A PRIZE WINNER SHALL CLAIM A PRIZE WITHIN 6 MONTHS
185 182 DAYS AFTER THE DRAWING IN WHICH THE PRIZE IS WON.

[(1)] (2) Except as provided in paragraph [(2)] (3)
of this subsection, the Director shall keep an unclaimed prize:

(i) for [180 days] 6 MONTHS 185 182 DAYS after
the drawing in which the prize is won, for payment of the winner;
and

(ii) then IN AN UNCLAIMED PRIZE FUND for use
for other prizes.

[(2)] (3) For a game that the Agency designates as a
bonus game or drawing and that is not a daily or weekly State
lottery drawing, the period for claiming a prize may differ from
the period set in paragraph [(1)] (2) of this subsection.

(f)  Unless otherwise specifically provided by the laws of
the State, the State and every officer, department, agency,
board, commission, or other unit of State government may not
raise the defense of sovereign immunity in the courts of the
State in an action in contract brought by an annuitant OR PRIZE
WINNER that is based on the liability of the State to pay an
annuitant OR PRIZE WINNER the prize that the annuitant is
entitled to receive in accordance with this subtitle and any
regulations adopted under this subtitle.

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