85R13446 GCB-D

By: Longoria H.B. No. 3728

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to funding for apprenticeship training programs through a lottery game.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Chapter 133, Education Code, is amended by adding Section 133.0035 to read as follows:

Sec. 133.0035. FUND FOR APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING PROGRAMS. (a) The fund for apprenticeship training programs is a special fund held in trust outside the state treasury by the commission. The fund is composed of:

(1) money transferred to the fund at the direction of the legislature;

(2) gifts and grants contributed to the fund;

(3) the earnings of the fund; and

(4) money transferred to the fund from proceeds of the lottery game operated under Section 466.0271 or transferred to the fund under Section 466.355(b).

(b) Money in the fund may be spent without appropriation only for apprenticeship training programs approved by the commission under this chapter.

(c) The commission may adopt rules governing the award of grants by the commission under this section.

(d) To carry out any purpose of this chapter, the commission may solicit, accept, or refuse a gift, grant, devise, bequest of money, security, service, or property, including money raised or a service provided by a volunteer or volunteer group, to promote the work of the commission for any purpose related to the fund for apprenticeship training programs.

SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 466, Government Code, is amended by adding Section 466.0271 to read as follows:

Sec. 466.0271. APPRENTICESHIP TRAINING PROGRAMS GAME. (a) The commission shall operate an instant-ticket lottery game to benefit the fund for apprenticeship training programs under Section 133.0035, Education Code.

(b) The commission shall:

(1) determine the ticket price, payout amounts, and manner in which the game is conducted;

(2) make tickets to the game available for sale continuously to the extent practicable; and

(3) change the design or theme of the game regularly to ensure that the game remains competitive with other instant-ticket lottery games offered by the commission.

(c) The commission shall market and advertise the lottery game operated under this section in a manner intended to inform the public that the game tickets are available for purchase and that the game proceeds are used to fund apprenticeship training programs in this state. The Texas Workforce Commission may make recommendations to the Texas Lottery Commission relating to the marketing and advertising of the game.

(d) The commission shall encourage each sales agent that sells tickets to instant-ticket games or similar types of lottery games to sell tickets to the game operated under this section.

(e) An organization otherwise eligible to receive money from the state lottery account attributable to a lottery game authorized by this section may not receive the money if the organization conducts illegal gambling or operates illegal gambling devices as defined by Chapter 47, Penal Code, or allows the conduct of illegal gambling or the operation of illegal gambling devices on its property or in its facilities.

SECTION 3. Section 466.355(b), Government Code, is amended to read as follows:

(b) Money in the state lottery account may be used only for the following purposes and shall be distributed as follows:

(1) the payment of prizes to the holders of winning tickets;

(2) the payment of costs incurred in the operation and administration of the lottery, including any fees received by a lottery operator, provided that the costs incurred in a fiscal biennium may not exceed an amount equal to 12 percent of the gross revenue accruing from the sale of tickets in that biennium;

(3) the establishment of a pooled bond fund, lottery prize reserve fund, unclaimed prize fund, and prize payment account; and

(4) the balance, after creation of a reserve sufficient to pay the amounts needed or estimated to be needed under Subdivisions (1) through (3), to be transferred on or before the 15th day of each month as follows:

(A) the portion of the balance attributable to the lottery game operated under Section 466.027 to the fund for veterans' assistance established by Section 434.017; [and]

(B) the portion of the balance attributable to the lottery game operated under Section 466.0271 to the fund for apprenticeship training programs established by Section 133.0035, Education Code; and

(C) the remainder to the foundation school fund.

SECTION 4. (a) Section 466.355(b), Government Code, as amended by this Act, applies only to a transfer from the state lottery account made on or after January 1, 2018.

(b) The Texas Lottery Commission shall establish and begin selling tickets to the lottery game as required by Section 466.0271, Government Code, as added by this Act, not later than January 1, 2018.

SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2017.