BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 874

By: Kuempel

Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Interested parties report that a recent attorney general opinion determined that the offer and award by a nonprofit organization of a ticket for a charitable raffle as a bingo prize under the Charitable Raffle Enabling Act could be in violation of certain Penal Code provisions since the activity is not explicitly authorized by the Bingo Enabling Act. These parties contend that such activities can be an important source of revenue necessary to achieve an organization's charitable purposes. H.B. 874 seeks to provide for that authorization.

CRIMINAL JUSTICE IMPACT

It is the committee's opinion that this bill does not expressly create a criminal offense, increase the punishment for an existing criminal offense or category of offenses, or change the eligibility of a person for community supervision, parole, or mandatory supervision.

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. 874 amends the Occupations Code to authorize a licensed authorized organization to offer and award as a bingo prize under the Bingo Enabling Act a ticket for a charitable raffle conducted under the Charitable Raffle Enabling Act. The bill specifies that the bingo prize amount is the cost to purchase the ticket to enter the charitable raffle.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2017.