The bill creating two new lotteries to fund actions against covid-19 in the areas of health and tourism (PL 1561/2020), on Wednesday (9), by the Senate. The text approved by the senators was a replacement for the rapporteur, Senator Weaverton (PDT-MA), who approved the 11 changes proposed by the senators. Now the project returns to the House of Representatives.
The project creates a health lottery and a tourism lottery, which will allocate their resources, respectively, to the National Health Fund (FNS) and the Brazilian Agency for the International Promotion of Tourism (Imperator). Both game sale proceeds and prizes that are not claimed by the winners will have this destination. Both games will be operated by the Ministries of Health and Tourism, following regulation by the Ministry of Economy.
According to the rapporteur, the text that was approved is the result of a lot of dialogue with the government and the opposition and lays down measures that can help counter the effects of the pandemic.
– It is a timely measure that can contribute to strengthening the budget to face the post-pandemic period in two areas that need significant resources, health and tourism, and the latter, are greatly affected by the epidemic period – he explained.
In the case of the health lottery, the funds should be used exclusively for covid-19 prevention and control measures, with priority being given to purchasing supplies and vaccines. This rule is valid for the duration of the public health emergency due to the pandemic.
Embratur should use tourism lottery resources in measures to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on the sector and, after the pandemic, in credit operations for businesses.
In the original version, which came from the Chamber, the tourism lottery was temporary, it will be given only until the end of the year, its resources will be allocated to the General Fund for Tourism (Fungetur). The Waverton alternative always makes this lottery and sends money to Embratur.
The rapporteur also removed the lottery process from Caixa Econômica Federal, and transferred it to the ministries of each region. For him, this change could speed up implementation, given that Caixa is currently responsible for more than a dozen similar products.
Agência Senado (Reproduction authorized with reference to Agência Senado)
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