BILL ANALYSIS

H.B. 882

By: Bell, Cecil

Licensing & Administrative Procedures

Committee Report (Unamended)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

It has been noted that a licensed charitable bingo organization must complete all bingo-related activities, such as the sale of pull-tabs, bingo cards, and payment of winners, within the duration of the bingo occasion, which may not exceed four hours. It has been suggested that since this four-hour limit does not reflect the actual length of a bingo session, extending the limit of a bingo occasion to six hours will provide licensed charitable bingo organizations longer and more profitable bingo sessions. H.B. 882 seeks to provide for this extension.

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 rulemaking authority is expressly granted to the Texas Lottery Commission in SECTION 3 of this bill.

ANALYSIS

H.B. 882 amends the Occupations Code to increase the maximum duration of a bingo occasion from four hours to six hours and to increase from four to six the number of hours a temporary license to conduct bingo is valid during any one day. The bill applies to a bingo occasion conducted under a license issued under the Bingo Enabling Act before, on, or after the bill's effective date. The bill authorizes a holder of an unused temporary license issued before the bill's effective date to submit to the Texas Lottery Commission, in the manner required by the lottery commission, a license amendment or a notification that provides the specific date and time of the bingo occasion for which the temporary license will be used and authorizes the lottery commission to adopt the rules and procedures necessary to accomplish that purpose.

EFFECTIVE DATE

On passage, or, if the bill does not receive the necessary vote, September 1, 2019.