Lawsuit: Illinois owes interest on delayed lottery payments

The Chicago Tribune reports:

Illinois lottery winners who weren't paid last year because of Springfield's budget impasse have sued the Lottery Department, contending they are owed interest accrued during the months in which their lucky numbers and tickets were not honored.

Thomas Zimmerman, attorney for the plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit, estimated the interest accrued by the state on withheld lottery winnings to be about $1.5 million.

Lottery Department officials did not return a request for comment Friday.

Illinois stopped paying out winnings of more than $25,000 on July 1, when the 2016 fiscal year began without a state budget. A previous lawsuit was filed by lottery winners in September.

The department went on to halt all payments on winnings of more than $600 in October

Payments finally flowed again last month after Gov. Bruce Rauner and House Democrats struck a rare agreement that released $3.1 billion for municipal 911 centers and lottery winners.

Who else in society can get away with stiffing their obligations?