Some top Georgia Republicans have called for a review of bonuses paid to Georgia Lottery officials. Nearly three-million dollars in bonuses were collected this year by Lottery president Margaret DeFrancisco and her employees. Some state legislators are baffled by the amounts, in the wake of tightened requirements for the lottery-funded HOPE scholarship. House Higher Education Committee Chair Bill Hembree has called the bonus figures "insane". Lottery officials say the bonuses are needed to stay competitive and keep employees focused. They also say funding to HOPE has increased.
