BILL ANALYSIS

 

 

                                                                                                                                     C.S.S.B. 1200

                                                                                                                                 By: Patrick, Dan

                                                                                             Licensing & Administrative Procedures

                                                                                                        Committee Report (Substituted)

 

 

 

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

 

The Texas Lottery Commission has been criticized for continuing to sell scratch-off lottery tickets well after the top prizes in the game have been claimed.  Current Texas Lottery Commission rules and procedures do not expressly require the closing of a game after all top prizes have been claimed and authorize a retailer to continue selling tickets for such a game for 60 days after it has been called.

 

C.S.S.B. 1200 requires the Texas Lottery Commission (commission) to adopt rules to require the commission to initiate procedures to close an instant lottery game after all top prizes in the game have been claimed or on an earlier date as determined by the executive director; and to prohibit the sale of instant lottery game tickets after the 46th day after the date the commission initiates procedures to close the game.

 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

 

It is the committee's opinion that rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Lottery Commission in SECTION 1 of this bill.

 

ANALYSIS

 

SECTION 1.  Amends Section 466.015, Government Code, by adding Subsection (e) as follows:

 

            (e) requires the Texas Lottery Commission (commission) to adopt rules governing instant lottery games that:

                        (1)  requires the commission to initiate procedures to close an instant lottery game after all top prizes in the game have been claimed or on an earlier date as determined by the executive director; and

                        (2) prohibits the sale of instant lottery game tickets after the 46th day after the date the commission initiates procedures to close the game.

 

SECTION 2.  Effective date: September 1, 2007.

 

COMPARISON OF ORIGINAL TO SUBSTITUTE

 

The original bill required the Texas Lottery Commission (commission) to adopt rules governing instant games that close instant games after all top prizes in the game have been claimed and provide procedures for the timely closing of an instant game that end the sale of instant game tickets beyond the 46th day after a game has been closed, while the substitute requires the commission to adopt rules governing instant lottery games that require the commission to initiate procedures to close an instant lottery game after all top prizes in the game have been claimed; and prohibit the sale of instant lottery game tickets after the 46th day after the date the commission initiates procedures to close the game.