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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to a lottery prize winner's choice to remain anonymous on |
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authorization to withhold five percent of winnings. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Section 466.015, Government Code, is amended by |
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adding Subsection (b-1) to read as follows: |
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(b-1) The commission shall adopt rules governing |
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nondisclosure of the identity of certain lottery prize winners |
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under Section 466.029. |
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SECTION 2. Section 466.022(b), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) In addition to commission records excepted from |
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disclosure under Chapter 552, the following information is |
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confidential and is exempt from disclosure: |
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(1) security plans and procedures of the commission |
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designed to ensure the integrity and security of the operation of |
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the lottery; |
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(2) information of a nature that is designed to ensure |
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the integrity and security of the selection of winning tickets or |
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numbers in the lottery, other than information describing the |
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general procedures for selecting winning tickets or numbers; [and] |
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(3) the street address and telephone number of a prize |
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winner, if the prize winner has not consented to the release of the |
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information; and |
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(4) all identifying information, other than the |
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municipality and county in which the prize winner resides, of a |
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lottery prize winner who has chosen to remain anonymous under |
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Section 466.029. |
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SECTION 3. Subchapter B, Chapter 466, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 466.029 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 466.029. CHOICE BY CERTAIN LOTTERY PRIZE WINNERS TO |
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REMAIN ANONYMOUS. (a) A lottery prize winner may choose to remain |
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anonymous and prohibit the prize winner's identifying information, |
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other than the municipality and county in which the prize winner |
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resides, from being released to the public if the prize winner: |
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(1) wins a prize in an amount greater than $1 million; |
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and |
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(2) submits to the commission on the form prescribed |
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by the commission a written authorization to withhold an amount |
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equal to five percent of the total lottery prize amount. |
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(b) The amount withheld as authorized under Subsection |
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(a)(2) is calculated based on the amount of prize money paid for a |
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single lottery prize claim, whether paid in one payment or |
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installment payments, and before federal tax is withheld and other |
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mandatory amounts are deducted as required by law. |
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(c) The commission shall deposit the amount withheld under |
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this section into the state lottery account established under |
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Section 466.355. |
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(d) The commission may not require a lottery prize winner |
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who chooses to remain anonymous under this section to participate |
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in a news conference or other public forum. |
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(e) This section does not prohibit the commission from |
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releasing identifying information of a natural person who is a |
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prize winner or who is a beneficial interest owner of a legal entity |
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that is a prize winner to a state agency under Section 466.407 or |
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466.4075, or to the Health and Human Services Commission. |
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SECTION 4. (a) Not later than December 1, 2015, the Texas |
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Lottery Commission shall adopt the rules, procedures, and forms |
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necessary to implement the changes in law made by this Act to |
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Chapter 466, Government Code. |
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(b) Notwithstanding Section 466.029, Government Code, as |
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added by this Act, a lottery prize winner may not choose to remain |
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anonymous unless the winner makes the choice on submission of a |
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claim for a lottery prize on or after January 1, 2016. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2015. |