BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 2570

By: Kuempel

Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

There are concerns about the decline of charitable bingo in Texas due to competition from other gambling-related activities. H.B. 2570 seeks to address these concerns by providing for a carryover pull-tab bingo game as a form of pull-tab bingo, including setting the maximum prize value for a game.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, department, agency, or institution.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 2570 amends the Occupations Code to set $10,000 as the maximum value for a jackpot prize awarded in a single carryover pull-tab bingo game and to clarify that carryover pull-tab bingo is excepted from the prohibition against offering or awarding prizes with an aggregate value of more than $2,500 on a single bingo occasion. The bill defines "carryover pull-tab bingo" and excludes games played on a gambling device from that definition. 

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2021.