By:  Hinojosa                                                     S.B. No. 1422


A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the use of electronic pull-tab minding devices or 
card-minding devices during a bingo occasion.
	BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:                        
	SECTION 1.  Section 2001.002, Occupations Code, is amended 
by inserting new subsections (10) and (11) and renumbering 
subsections in this section, and all subsection references in 
Chapter 2001 Occupations Code, accordingly:
		(10)  "Electronic Pull-Tab Bingo" means an electronic 
form of pull-tab bingo where a customer purchases an electronic 
ticket face, instead of a ticket made of paper or paper products, 
some of which have been designated in advance as prize winners, from 
a point of sale station.  All electronic pull-tab ticket faces shall 
come from a finite deal of tickets.
		(11)  "Electronic Pull-Tab Minding Device" means an 
electronic device, including a card-minding device, if applicable, 
that is capable of displaying an electronic pull-tab bingo ticket 
face purchased by a patron.
	SECTION 2.  Section 2001.408, Occupations Code, is amended 
to read as follows:
	Subject to the commission's rules, bingo may be played using 
a pull-tab bingo ticket or an electronic pull-tab bingo ticket.
	SECTION 3.  Section 2001.409, Occupations Code, is amended 
to read as follows:
	(a)  A person may not use a card-minding device:                               
		(1)  to generate [or determine] the random letters, 
numbers or other symbols used in playing the bingo card played with 
the device's assistance;
		(2)  as a receptacle for the deposit of tokens or money 
in payment for playing the bingo card played with the device's 
assistance; or
		(3)  as a dispenser for the payment of a bingo prize, 
including coins, paper currency or a thing of value for the bingo 
card played with the device's assistance.
	(b)  [Not more than 40 percent of the individuals attending a 
bingo occasion, based on the average of two previously submitted 
quarterly reports, may use electronic or mechanical card-minding 
devices.  This subsection does not apply to pull-tab bingo.]  A 
card-minding device may be used to:
		(1)  account for and track electronic credits either 
purchased by patrons at a point of sale station or won by patrons 
playing bingo or electronic pull-tabs; and
		(2)  exchange these electronic credits for electronic 
bingo card faces and electronic pull tab bingo tickets that may be 
played by patrons during a bingo occasion.
	SECTION 4.  A new Section 2001.421, Occupations Code, is 
added as follows:   
	(a)  A person may not use an electronic pull-tab minding 
device:      
		(1)  to generate the random letters, numbers, or other 
symbols used in playing bingo;
		(2)  to affect the chances of winning at bingo; or                     
		(3)  as a dispenser for the payment of a bingo prize, 
including coins, paper currency, or a thing of value for the game 
played.
	(b)  All electronic pull-tab minding devices are subject to 
testing by the commission and shall be manufactured in accordance 
with specifications contained in rules adopted by the commission.
	(c)  All electronic pull-tab minding devices should be 
capable of being monitored by electronic on-line modem access and 
are subject to inspection by the commission at any time.
	SECTION 5.  A new Section 2001.423, Occupations Code, is 
added as follows:   

The Texas Lottery Commission shall have broad authority to adopt 
rules administering the provisions of subsection 2001.409(b) and 
Section 2001.421.
	SECTION 6.  The Texas Lottery Commission shall adopt rules 
to administer this Act, not later than October 1, 2003, and may 
adopt the initial rules in the manner provided by law for emergency 
rules.
	SECTION 7.  This Act takes effect immediately if it receives 
a vote of two-thirds of all the members elected to each house, as 
provided by Section 39, Article III, Texas Constitution.  If this 
Act does not receive the vote necessary for immediate effect, this 
Act takes effect September 1, 2003.