BILL ANALYSIS
By: Haggerty
Licensing & Administrative Procedures
Committee Report (Substituted)
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE
Currently, operation of bingo is regulated under Subchapter I, Chapter 2001, Occupations Code. Section 2001.409 prohibits a person from using a card-minding device to generate or determine random letters, numbers, or other symbols used in playing the bingo card played with the device’s assistance, as a receptacle for the deposit of tokens or money in payment for playing the bingo card played with the device’s assistance, or 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.
Licensed authorized organizations that hold a license to conduct bingo are seeking statutory authority to use a card-minding device on the organization’s bingo premises during a bingo occasion. The organizations would not use the device in a manner prohibited by Section 2001.409, such as generating numbers, receiving payment, or dispensing payment of a prize. Instead, the organizations seek to display or play a pull-tab bingo ticket, approved by the Texas Lottery Commission, to a bingo player.
C.S.H.B. 2206 would allow a licensed authorized organization to use a card-minding device on the organization’s bingo premises during a bingo occasion to display or play a commission-approved pull-tab bingo ticket to a bingo player, while clarifying that existing prohibitions currently in law regarding card-minding devices to apply to a person, including a licensed authorized organization.
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
C.S.H.B. 2206 allows a licensed authorized organization to use a card-minding device on the organization’s bingo premises during a bingo occasion to display or play a commission-approved pull-tab bingo ticket to a bingo player. Also clarifies that existing prohibitions on use of a card-minding device to apply to a person, including a licensed authorized organization; makes conforming changes.
EFFECTIVE DATE
Immediately, or, if the Act does not receive the necessary vote, the Act takes effect September 1, 2007.
COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE
The substitute, in addition to allowing a licensed authorized organization to use a card-minding device to display a commission-approved pull-tab bingo ticket to a bingo player, would allow the organization to permit the player to play the pull-tab bingo ticket.
The substitute also makes minor revisions to clarify that existing prohibitions on use of a card-minding device to apply to a person, including a licensed authorized organization; makes conforming changes.