BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 394

By: Thompson, Senfronia

Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Currently, the aggregate prize limit on a single bingo occasion is $2,500. That amount, interested parties assert, can be reached quickly if larger prizes are awarded during a bingo occasion. However, there is a growing concern that larger prizes are becoming necessary in many places to compete with other forms of entertainment and that such incentives effectively reduce the times during which bingo can be offered. H.B. 394 seeks to address this issue by exempting regular bingo prizes of $50 or less from the aggregate limit in order to encourage charitable organizations to offer more bingo games with lower stakes during bingo occasions.

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

H.B. 394 amends the Occupations Code to exempt bingo games that award individual prizes of $50 or less from the prohibition against a person offering or awarding on a single bingo occasion prizes with an aggregate value of more than $2,500.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2013.