HBA-DMH H.B. 3255 77(R)    BILL ANALYSIS


Office of House Bill AnalysisH.B. 3255
By: Reyna, Arthur
Licensing & Administrative Procedures
4/8/2001
Introduced



BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE 

Since the original enactment of the Bingo Enabling Act (Act), certain
provisions of the Act have become obsolete, impractical, or archaic by
virtue of industry or regulatory practice and by the evolution of
technology.  Legislation is needed to allow for the increased use of
technology.  House Bill 3255 authorizes multiorganization bingo and
provides regulations for multiorganization bingo games. 

RULEMAKING AUTHORITY

It is the opinion of the Office of House Bill Analysis that this bill does
not expressly delegate any additional rulemaking authority to a state
officer, department, agency, or institution. 

ANALYSIS

House Bill 3255 amends the Occupations Code to authorize two or more
licensed authorized organizations that are licensed to conduct bingo at the
same premises to conduct one or more  multiorganization bingo games in
which each organization participates using an automated bingo service
approved by the Texas Lottery Commission (commission) that tracks and
registers all game cards from sale through game play. Each licensed
organization that participates in a multiorganization game is responsible
for its own bingo card sales and operating costs without regard to which
organization conducts the bingo game.  The bill authorizes a person who
otherwise qualifies to conduct a bingo game to conduct a bingo game for a
licensed authorized organization other than a licensed authorized
organization of which the person is a member if the organization for which
the person is conducting bingo is conducting an authorized
multiorganization bingo game in which the organization of which the person
is a member is participating.  

The bill authorizes a multiorganization bingo game to be conducted during
the authorized bingo occasions of each licensed authorized organization
participating in the game.  The bill authorizes a licensed authorized
organization that participates in a  multiorganization bingo game to
aggregate all or a portion of the permitted prize amounts for each
organization for a bingo prize to be awarded in the multiorganization game.

The bill authorizes a licensed organization that conducts a
multiorganization bingo game to make payments from the bingo account by
electronic transfer to the state and to the system service provider.  

EFFECTIVE DATE

September 1, 2001.