By Carona S.B. No. 1197
77R9148 T
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
1-1 AN ACT
1-2 relating to the creation of a blue ribbon panel to study and make
1-3 recommendations for a strategic plan for the education, prevention
1-4 and treatment of problem gambling and an interagency council to
1-5 coordinate the state's resources in meeting the needs of
1-6 individuals, families, businesses, organizations and communities
1-7 impacted by problem and pathological gambling.
1-8 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
1-9 SECTION 1. Chapter 461, Health and Safety Code is amended by
1-10 adding Section 461.019 to read as follows:
1-11 Sec. 461.019. INTERAGENCY COUNCIL ON PROBLEM GAMBLING. (a)
1-12 The Interagency Council on Problem Gambling is established to
1-13 foster cooperation between agencies in order to meet the needs of
1-14 individuals, families, businesses, organizations and communities
1-15 impacted by problem gambling.
1-16 (b) The membership of the interagency council includes
1-17 high-level representatives as appointed by the directors of these
1-18 entities:
1-19 (1) Health and Human Services Commission;
1-20 (2) Texas Commission on Alcohol and Drugs;
1-21 (3) Texas Lottery Commission;
1-22 (4) Charitable Bingo Division of the Texas Lottery
1-23 Commission;
1-24 (5) Texas Racing Commission;
2-1 (6) Department of Public Safety;
2-2 (7) Texas Education Agency;
2-3 (8) Department of Protective and Regulatory Services;
2-4 (9) Texas Department of Aging;
2-5 (10) Texas Agricultural Extension Service;
2-6 (11) Office of Consumer Credit Commissioner;
2-7 (12) Department of Human Services;
2-8 (13) Texas Department of Health;
2-9 (14) Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental
2-10 Retardation;
2-11 (15) Office of the Attorney General;
2-12 (16) Texas Department of Criminal Justice;
2-13 (17) Texas Youth Commission;
2-14 (18) Texas Juvenile Probation Commission;
2-15 (19) Texas State Office of Rural Health;
2-16 (c) The appointed representative of the Health and Human
2-17 Services Commission shall serve as the presiding officer of the
2-18 interagency council. The commission may provide administrative
2-19 support to the committee.
2-20 (d) The Texas Council on Problem and Compulsive Gambling
2-21 shall appoint one or more persons to serve as advisors to the
2-22 interagency council.
2-23 (e) The interagency council shall meet at least once each
2-24 quarter of each calendar year on dates determined by the
2-25 interagency council members.
2-26 (f) The interagency council shall make quarterly reports to
2-27 the governor, speaker of the house, and lieutenant governor. The
3-1 quarterly report shall include the efforts of each agency to
3-2 address the needs of Texans impacted by problem gambling.
3-3 SECTION 2. (a) The Blue Ribbon Panel on Problem Gambling is
3-4 established to study problem gambling in order to develop a
3-5 strategic plan to provide education, prevention and the treatment
3-6 of problem and pathological gambling in Texas.
3-7 (b) The panel is composed of not less than twelve members as
3-8 follows:
3-9 (1) A representative of the governor's office
3-10 (2) One member of the senate appointed by the
3-11 lieutenant governor.
3-12 (3) One member of the house of representatives
3-13 appointed by the speaker of the house; and not less than 10 members
3-14 appointed by the governor who have an interest in problem and
3-15 pathological gambling and who has experience in one of the
3-16 following:
3-17 (a) Research institutions;
3-18 (b) Clinical practices;
3-19 (c) Youth education;
3-20 (d) Mental health community or community mental
3-21 health centers;
3-22 (e) Financial literacy or credit counseling;
3-23 (f) Services for older adults;
3-24 (g) Legal or criminal justice;
3-25 (h) Student activities or athletics in higher
3-26 education; and
3-27 (i) The faith community.
4-1 (c) Initial appointments must be made not later than
4-2 December 31, 2001. The governor shall appoint one of the members
4-3 to serve as presiding officer of the blue ribbon panel. Chapter
4-4 2110, Government Code, does not apply to the panel. A member of
4-5 the panel is not entitled to compensation or reimbursement by the
4-6 state for travel expenses related to the business of the panel,
4-7 unless the person is a member by virtue of state employment, in
4-8 which event the employing agency shall reimburse the member for
4-9 reasonable and necessary expenses. The entities represented by the
4-10 members of the panel may provide staff and other support services
4-11 as need by the panel.
4-12 (d) The Texas Council on Problem and Compulsive Gambling
4-13 shall designate one or more persons to serve as a resource to the
4-14 committee.
4-15 (e) The blue ribbon panel shall:
4-16 (1) examine current research of the prevalence of
4-17 problem and pathological gambling, both in Texas, the United States
4-18 and other jurisdictions;
4-19 (2) identify best practices in the education,
4-20 prevention and treatment of problem and pathological gambling in
4-21 the United States and Canada;
4-22 (3) identify how co-morbidity factors impact the onset
4-23 and treatment of problem and pathological gambling;
4-24 (4) evaluate how problem and pathological gambling
4-25 impacts individuals, families, businesses, organizations and
4-26 communities, including the criminal justice system;
4-27 (5) consider changes in the law necessary to reduce
5-1 the incidences of problem and pathological gambling;
5-2 (6) determine what standards are necessary to protect
5-3 the public who seek counseling and treatment for pathological
5-4 gambling problems; and
5-5 (7) evaluate how state gambling regulatory agencies
5-6 are promoting responsible gaming practices.
5-7 (f) The blue ribbon panel shall submit a report based on its
5-8 findings to the 78th Legislature not later than January 15, 2003.
5-9 As part of its report, the panel shall submit to the legislature a
5-10 strategic plan that includes a timetable for implementation.
5-11 SECTION 3. This Act takes effect immediately if it receives
5-12 a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as
5-13 provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution. If this
5-14 Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this
5-15 Act takes effect September 1, 2001.