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A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
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AN ACT
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relating to lottery game revenue for grants to public school |
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prekindergarten programs. |
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BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
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SECTION 1. Subchapter E, Chapter 29, Education Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 29.1551 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 29.1551. FUND FOR PREKINDERGARTEN PROGRAMS. (a) The |
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fund for prekindergarten programs is a special fund in the state |
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treasury outside the general revenue fund. The fund is composed of: |
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(1) money transferred to the fund at the direction of |
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the legislature; |
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(2) gifts and grants contributed to the fund; |
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(3) the earnings of the fund; and |
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(4) money transferred to the fund from proceeds of the |
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lottery game operated under Section 466.0275, Government Code. |
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(b) Money in the fund may be appropriated only to the agency |
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to: |
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(1) provide grants under Section 29.155 to school |
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districts and open-enrollment charter schools to implement or |
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expand prekindergarten programs in accordance with that section; |
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and |
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(2) administer the fund. |
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SECTION 2. Subchapter B, Chapter 466, Government Code, is |
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amended by adding Section 466.0275 to read as follows: |
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Sec. 466.0275. PUBLIC PRE-K GAME. (a) The commission shall |
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operate an instant-ticket lottery game to benefit the fund for |
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prekindergarten programs established by Section 29.1551, Education |
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Code. |
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(b) The commission shall: |
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(1) determine the ticket price, payout amounts, and |
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manner in which the game is conducted; |
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(2) make tickets to the game available for sale |
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continuously to the extent practicable; and |
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(3) change the design or theme of the game regularly to |
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ensure the game remains competitive with other instant-ticket |
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lottery games offered by the commission. |
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(c) The commission shall market and advertise the lottery |
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game operated under this section in a manner intended to inform the |
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public that the game tickets are available for purchase and that the |
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game proceeds are used to fund public prekindergarten programs in |
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this state. The game tickets must clearly state that the game |
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proceeds are used to benefit the public prekindergarten students in |
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this state. The Texas Education Agency may make recommendations to |
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the Texas Lottery Commission relating to the marketing and |
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advertising of the game. |
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(d) The commission shall encourage each sales agent that |
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sells tickets to instant-ticket games or similar types of lottery |
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games to sell tickets to the game operated under this section. |
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SECTION 3. Section 466.355(b), Government Code, is amended |
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to read as follows: |
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(b) Money in the state lottery account may be used only for |
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the following purposes and shall be distributed as follows: |
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(1) the payment of prizes to the holders of winning |
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tickets; |
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(2) the payment of costs incurred in the operation and |
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administration of the lottery, including any fees received by a |
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lottery operator, provided that the costs incurred in a fiscal |
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biennium may not exceed an amount equal to 12 percent of the gross |
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revenue accruing from the sale of tickets in that biennium; |
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(3) the establishment of a pooled bond fund, lottery |
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prize reserve fund, unclaimed prize fund, and prize payment |
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account; and |
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(4) the balance, after creation of a reserve |
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sufficient to pay the amounts needed or estimated to be needed under |
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Subdivisions (1) through (3), to be transferred on or before the |
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15th day of each month as follows: |
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(A) the portion of the balance attributable to |
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the lottery game operated under Section 466.027 to the fund for |
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veterans' assistance established by Section 434.017; [and] |
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(B) the portion of the balance attributable to |
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the lottery game operated under Section 466.0275 to the fund for |
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prekindergarten programs established by Section 29.1551, Education |
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Code; and |
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(C) the remainder to the foundation school fund. |
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SECTION 4. (a) Section 466.355, Government Code, as |
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amended by this Act, applies only to a transfer from the state |
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lottery account made on or after the effective date of this Act. |
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(b) The Texas Lottery Commission shall establish and begin |
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selling tickets to the lottery game as required by Section |
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466.0275, Government Code, as added by this Act, not later than |
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March 1, 2020. |
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SECTION 5. This Act takes effect September 1, 2019. |