Honorable Mike Hamilton, Chair, House Committee on Licensing & Administrative Procedures
FROM:
John S O'Brien, Director, Legislative Budget Board
IN RE:
HJR28 by Alvarado (Proposing a constitutional amendment requiring the legislature to establish a state gaming commission and to authorize and provide for the regulation of gaming conducted at certain locations in this state, authorizing federally recognized Indian tribes to conduct gaming on certain Indian lands, and requiring the governor to call the legislature into special session to consider gaming legislation.), As Introduced
No fiscal implication to the State is anticipated, other than the cost of publication.
The cost to the state for publication of the resolution is $105,495.
The resolution would propose an amendment to Section 47, Article III, of the Texas Constitution, regarding lotteries, gift enterprises and bingo games, to require the Legislature by general law to establish a state gaming commission to administer the laws regulating the gaming activities authorized by this amendment, and to allow the Legislature to authorize and provide for regulating one or more types of gaming, including casino gaming.
The gaming would be permitted on certain coastal barrier and dredge spoil islands on the Gulf of Mexico; at licensed pari-mutuel horse and greyhound race tracks; in municipalities with populations of 675,000 or greater; or the lands of federally recognized Indian tribes in El Paso County or in Polk County. If the Legislature does not enact laws to implement this amendment's provisions before June 1, 2012, the Governor would be required to call the Legislature into special session for the sole purpose of considering and enacting laws to implement those provisions.
Any fiscal implications would depend on the approval by voters of a constitutional amendment and, as the proposed amendment is not self-enacting, subsequent enabling legislation.
The proposed amendment would be submitted to voters in an election to be held November 8, 2011.
Local Government Impact
No fiscal implication to units of local government is anticipated.
Source Agencies:
304 Comptroller of Public Accounts, 362 Texas Lottery Commission, 476 Racing Commission