Enrolled Bill Summary

            House Bill 2519 amends Occupations Code provisions relating to charitable bingo. The bill places a limitation on new commercial lessor licenses until September 1, 2005, and changes wording relating to dedication of proceeds for charitable purposes and expenses that may be incurred. It requires the commission to maintain a registry of persons on whom it has conducted criminal history background checks and who are approved to be involved in the conduct of bingo or to act as a bingo operator. It allows two or more authorized organizations to form accounting units and establishes requirements relating to the operation of such units. The bill prohibits the commission from restricting certain bingo operators from acting as bingo callers, and it allows a bingo organization 72 hours to deposit funds from bingo games that are paid with a debit card, instead of requiring the deposit the next business day. The bill transfers certain responsibilities relating to administrative penalties from the executive director of the commission to the director of bingo operations, exempts bingo equipment from sales, excise, and use taxes if certain conditions are met, and amends the definition of "bingo equipment" to include a bingo ball. The bill also includes provisions relating to advisory opinions, temporary licenses, two-year licenses, change of premises or occasions, identification cards, joint employees, responsibilities of the director of bingo operations, and certain tax exemptions for bingo equipment.

            House Bill 2519 takes effect September 1, 2003, except the provision that exempts bingo equipment from certain taxes takes effect January 1, 2004.