| Vote Recommendation | Economic Freedom | Property Rights | Personal Responsibility | Limited Government | Individual Liberty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yes | Positive | Neutral | Neutral | Positive | Neutral |
Relating to the regulation of bingo games.
Estimated Two-year Net Impact to General Revenue Related Funds for HB914, Committee
Report 1st House, Substituted: a positive impact of $57,440,000 through the biennium ending
August 31, 2021.
HB 914 would make a host of changes to regulation regarding charitable bingo games.
The bill would shift certain responsibilities from bingo license holders to the Texas Lottery Commission. The bill would extend the period of time a person may be employed in certain roles related to the game of bingo while awaiting the results of a background check. The bill would allow a licensed organization to hold more bingo occasions under certain circumstances and lengthen the amount of time bingo cards, pull tab tickets, and card reading devices may be sold.
The bill would make changes to the collection and remittance of fees, and to the process of sharing fee proceeds with different units of government entitled to such proceeds.
Texas Action supports HB 914 for loosening somewhat the regulatory environment in which charitable bingo operates. We recommend the state substantially scale back its regulation of charitable bingo, if not get out of the business of regulating it altogether. This bill clearly does not go that far but is an incremental change toward lighter regulation.