BILL ANALYSIS

Senate Research Center	C.S.H.B. 1759
88R30698 BEE-F	By: Bucy (Alvarado)
	State Affairs
	5/18/2023
	Committee Report (Substituted)

AUTHOR'S / SPONSOR'S STATEMENT OF INTENT

H.B. 1759 amends the Occupations Code to allow professional sports team charitable foundations to sell raffle tickets through digital interactive media, such as an Internet website or mobile application. The bill also sets forth new requirements for the sale of raffle tickets through digital interactive media, including:

• Tickets may only be sold to individuals who are physically located in Texas and not further than one mile from the home venue or rodeo venue of the professional sports team associated with the foundation conducting the raffle. (Added in the committee substitute)
• Only persons 18 years of age or older may purchase raffle tickets.
• The foundation must contract with a third-party vendor to ensure that only persons 18 or older purchase tickets for the raffle.

Committee Substitute:

The committee substitute limits the ability to sell these raffle tickets to only those within one mile of the professional sports team's home venue or rodeo venue.

C.S.H.B. 1759 amends current law relating to ticket sales for charitable raffles conducted by the

charitable foundations of certain professional sports teams.

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

This bill does not expressly grant any additional rulemaking authority to a state officer, institution, or agency.

SECTION BY SECTION ANALYSIS

SECTION 1. Amends Section 2004.004, Occupations Code, by adding Subsections (a-1), (a-2), and (a-3) and amending Subsection (d), as follows:

(a-1) Authorizes raffle tickets for a charitable raffle conducted under Subsection (a) (relating to authorizing certain professional sports team charitable organizations to conduct charitable raffles during certain events) to be sold:

(1) at the home venue or rodeo venue of the professional sports team associated with the foundation conducting the raffle; or

(2) through digital interactive media, including an Internet website of or mobile application provided by the professional sports team associated with the foundation conducting the raffle.

(a-2) Authorizes raffle tickets for a charitable raffle conducted under Subsection (a) to be sold only during the period beginning when the venue opens to attendees of the game or rodeo venue opens to attendees of the rodeo event and ending when the draw to determine the prize winners for the raffle concludes.

(a-3) Authorizes raffle tickets sold under Subsection (a-1)(2) to only be sold to individuals who at the time of the sale are physically located:

(1) in this state; and

(2) not further than one mile from the home venue or rodeo venue of the professional sports team associated with the foundation conducting the raffle.

(d) Requires a professional sports team charitable foundation that conducts a charitable raffle under Subsection (a) to contract with a third-party vendor to ensure only persons 18 years of age or older purchase tickets for the raffle.

SECTION 2. Effective date: upon passage or September 1, 2023.