|
House Bill 2265 |
House Author: Haggerty |
|
Effective: Vetoed |
Senate Sponsor: Averitt |
House Bill 2265 amends the Occupations Code to permit a licensed authorized organization to offer a progressive bingo game, in which the prize amount may be increased over successive bingo occasions of that organization until a player completes the winning pattern for the specified game. The bill authorizes the organization to offer only one progressive bingo game during each bingo occasion and sets out provisions relating to prize amounts. The bill provides an expiration date of September 1, 2011, for these provisions and requires the Texas Lottery Commission, not later than January 1, 2011, to submit to the governor, lieutenant governor, speaker of the house of representatives, and members of the legislature a report on the implementation of progressive bingo and its effect on net bingo proceeds available for charitable purposes.
Reason Given for Veto: "House Bill No. 2265 would authorize progressive bingo, in which the jackpot prize can grow to several times the currently allowed level. This is a significant departure from existing legal charitable bingo games.
"The bill would allow a progressive bingo jackpot to grow to $2,500, compared to the current maximum $750. The progressive prize would not count against the current cap on total prizes, resulting in a $10,000 cap on prizes for the evening. This is not in keeping with the nature of charitable bingo and threatens to cost the charities more in prize payouts than they will gain in revenue from players.
"Progressive bingo represents an expansion of gambling beyond anything contemplated when Texas allowed neighborhood charitable bingo halls."