TEXAS Hold'em needs to be legal in TEXAS

[Big Bend]

Today, Tuesday April 3, is a big day for poker here in Texas. San Antonio State Rep Jose Menendez has introduced a bill making card rooms legal in the state, and poker players are converging on the capital in Austin to support the legislation.

Here (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/4682958.html) is an article talking about this. It's too bad I'm swamped at work or I'd roadie up there to show support... Since we have legal horse racing and lotteries its not entirely impossible this won't pass (damn religious freaks running the state) but I have my doubts it'll succeed. Man it would be so sweet to have poker finally be legal here.

Oh well, hoping for the best in TX...

BB

[rageotones]

anyone know anything about this????

"Menendez said that he plans to amend his bill before presenting it to the licensing panel to require that games be played on an electric table that deals computer-generated cards that can be seen only by the player who receives them."

that would suck so bad

[spino1i]

[ QUOTE ]
anyone know anything about this????

"Menendez said that he plans to amend his bill before presenting it to the licensing panel to require that games be played on an electric table that deals computer-generated cards that can be seen only by the player who receives them."

that would suck so bad

[/ QUOTE ]

wow this would suck.. please say it isnt so..

[Vex]

[ QUOTE ]
anyone know anything about this????

"Menendez said that he plans to amend his bill before presenting it to the licensing panel to require that games be played on an electric table that deals computer-generated cards that can be seen only by the player who receives them."

that would suck so bad

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds like there may be a misunderstanding. I think that is talking about a clarification to the bill. Here's the relevant text from the bill itself, with text bolded by me.

[ QUOTE ]
Sec. 2004.454. ELECTRONIC POKER TABLE. (a) An electronic
poker table must:
(1) provide each player position with a touch screen
that allows the player to:
(A) view cards dealt to the player and the
remaining chips and other game information; and
(B) input game decisions;
(2) include a video screen in the center of the table
that displays game information, chips bet by each player, and cards
dealt to all players;
(3) maintain a complete hand history for a period of 30
days that is accessible to the commission by remote connection;
(4) display the collection fee for the game in a
central location viewable by all players;
(5) provide a feature that enables a replay of the
previous game; and
(6) provide a feature that enables complete recovery
of the complete game if a power disruption occurs.
(b) An electronic poker table must use:
(1) a central server to deal electronic cards to each
player in a poker hand; and
(2) a cage management system application to automate
the creation and maintenance of accounts for players at the table,
to perform cash-in and cash-out functions, and for payment of the
gross receipts tax to this state.

[/ QUOTE ]

Note that nowhere in the quoted text from the bill does it state that the player's touchscreen prevent anyone else from seeing that player's hole cards. The above quote sounds like he means to amend the bill to add in a provision that for electronic tables, players' touchscreens actually keep the hole cards private. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

The bill does allow for live games played the old-fashioned way, with dealers and cards and chips, and even stipulates things like a deck can only be used for 50 hands. It just also allows these newfangled 'lectronic table thingies to be used as well.

Full text is here: http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/80R/billtext/html/HB03186I.htm

[rageotones]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
anyone know anything about this????

"Menendez said that he plans to amend his bill before presenting it to the licensing panel to require that games be played on an electric table that deals computer-generated cards that can be seen only by the player who receives them."

that would suck so bad

[/ QUOTE ]

Sounds like there may be a misunderstanding. I think that is talking about a clarification to the bill. Here's the relevant text from the bill itself, with text bolded by me.

[ QUOTE ]
Sec. 2004.454. ELECTRONIC POKER TABLE. (a) An electronic
poker table must:
(1) provide each player position with a touch screen
that allows the player to:
(A) view cards dealt to the player and the
remaining chips and other game information; and
(B) input game decisions;
(2) include a video screen in the center of the table
that displays game information, chips bet by each player, and cards
dealt to all players;
(3) maintain a complete hand history for a period of 30
days that is accessible to the commission by remote connection;
(4) display the collection fee for the game in a
central location viewable by all players;
(5) provide a feature that enables a replay of the
previous game; and
(6) provide a feature that enables complete recovery
of the complete game if a power disruption occurs.
(b) An electronic poker table must use:
(1) a central server to deal electronic cards to each
player in a poker hand; and
(2) a cage management system application to automate
the creation and maintenance of accounts for players at the table,
to perform cash-in and cash-out functions, and for payment of the
gross receipts tax to this state.

[/ QUOTE ]

Note that nowhere in the quoted text from the bill does it state that the player's touchscreen prevent anyone else from seeing that player's hole cards. The above quote sounds like he means to amend the bill to add in a provision that for electronic tables, players' touchscreens actually keep the hole cards private. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

The bill does allow for live games played the old-fashioned way, with dealers and cards and chips, and even stipulates things like a deck can only be used for 50 hands. It just also allows these newfangled 'lectronic table thingies to be used as well.

Full text is here: http://www.legis.state.tx.us/tlodocs/80R/billtext/html/HB03186I.htm

[/ QUOTE ]

while i hope you're correct, the quote did say, "..require that games be played on electric tables..."

[Vex]

[ QUOTE ]

while i hope you're correct, the quote did say, "..require that games be played on electric tables..."

[/ QUOTE ]

All of the difference is in the word "be". It might belong there, or it might not. Plus, making that significant a change would be more than amending it; it would require major modifications to most of the text of the bill.

That said, I could be wrong. I think I'm right, but who knows? Is there a link to where the quote was published, so we could check out the context?

[rageotones]

article here (http://www.realcities.com/mld/dfw/news/legislature/17019287.htm)

[Vex]

[ QUOTE ]
article here (http://www.realcities.com/mld/dfw/news/legislature/17019287.htm)

[/ QUOTE ]

In context, it does look like it really does mean requiring the electronic tables, in particular to allow the Lottery Commission full control over teh monies.

In truth, I'd rather have that than nothing.

There are some theoretical good points about these electronic tables. I've never even seen one, but:

* They'd be as trustworthy as online poker (strong random number generators).

* They'd speed things up -- moving chips and cards does take a lot of time.

* No room for dealer error.

* Less room for player shenanigans.

* No need to tip an electronic dealer.

* Hopefully lower rake than live, because of lower overhead (but who'm I kidding, right?)

[rageotones]

i just saw this in another thread... HERE (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=9824559&an=0&page=0#Post 9824559)...

"Interesting tidbit – apparently this legislation’s being sponsored by the commercial vendor for electronic poker tables."

i have played electronic tables, and i can say that i'd much rather play on my computer. freaking politics.

[corndog]

Just found the live stream for the Committee on Licensing & Administrative Procedures:

http://www.house.state.tx.us/fx/av/live/extlivecmte40.ram

I just turned it on. They are talking about poker runs right now, which I think are on the same bill.

edit: n/m. They were on bill 653, which is a bill dealing specifically with poker runs.

[allbad]

[ QUOTE ]
i just saw this in another thread... HERE (http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=9824559&an=0&page=0#Post 9824559)...

"Interesting tidbit – apparently this legislation’s being sponsored by the commercial vendor for electronic poker tables."

i have played electronic tables, and i can say that i'd much rather play on my computer. freaking politics.

[/ QUOTE ]

I was so pumped when I heard this on the radio this morning. Now to find out he's nerfing the game by only allowing poker on the electronic tables really kinda sucks. Better than nothing? I'm torn. I will probably end up going anyway, but I don't see these tables being very popular. I really like to scoop-n-stack.

[shipdapaper]

so have they already talked about poker yet or is it slated for later?

[corndog]

I can't be certain since I've only been listening for awhile, but I haven't seen any updates online saying otherwise.

The Pokerati blog said that their team got a call at 7:38pm CST to head over to the capital to get ready. I started listening a little after 8CST, so I don't think they have discussed it yet.

This interior design bill they've been going over for the past half hour or more is absolutely brutal.

[shipdapaper]

i agree....how long will they go its 9:30 central time

[corndog]

I am pretty sure they will go until their agenda is complete. These committees only meet every week or two weeks so they can't really afford a backlog.

[shipdapaper]

i think they are winding down...... i hope they finish it out

[corndog]

finally up now

[shipdapaper]

here we go

[corndog]

Sounds like it will NOT be changing to just having electronic tables. Great news.. Now we just need it to pass.

[Rhett]

is this live, can i go down there and see it now?

[Rhett]

oh great, it looks like people just get to say if they are for or against the bill

[shipdapaper]

its sounding good!!

[shipdapaper]

this guy needs to shutup....he [censored] it up

[Rhett]

I wonder how long they'll be at this. I'm 25 minutes away, should I go down there now?

[corndog]

You might be able to catch it, but I doubt it. Before this it sounded like they were wanting to wrap the night up as quickly as possible.

[corndog]

Opposition speaking right now. A guy from a Baptist church commission thing. Luckily, he is a bumbling fool.

[Rhett]

he really got that religious guy bringing up bingo at the churches!

[corndog]

Awesome. The Chairman is f'n with the opposition guy.

[lol_variance]

I'm in Austin, wish I had gone. The chairman pwned the right wing religious nut.

[pokerstudAA]

[ QUOTE ]
Opposition speaking right now. A guy from a Baptist church commission thing. Luckily, he is a bumbling fool.

[/ QUOTE ]
That was awesome! He was like - what about Church Bingo you right wing A-hole.

Lyle Berman and Clonie Gowan testifying now - Clonie made 500K last y ear

[shipdapaper]

so i guess we go on to the next step huh?

[corndog]

I guess so. I'm a little confused on the process here, why was there no vote? Is it because an amendment was agreed upon on the floor and needs to be officially added?

Will it need to be voted on in this committee before moving on to a congress vote?

[lol_variance]

Looks like it goes before a legislative committee without amendments. I am rusty on Texas legislative process but I believe it now must pass the committee before it can be brought to the floor as a bill.

Edit: Damn, I just reviewed the process and it has to pass both chambers before going to the governor, who may approve or veto the bill. We got a long way to go with this.

http://www.tlc.state.tx.us/gtli/legproc/process.html

[KipBond]

So far so good!! YES!!

[allbad]

[ QUOTE ]
So far so good!! YES!!

[/ QUOTE ]

Don't hold your breath. It's not gonna happen. ... I only say this because when I get my hopes up they usually get dashed.

[Kevmath]

[ QUOTE ]
he really got that religious guy bringing up bingo at the churches!

[/ QUOTE ]

http://www.house.state.tx.us/fx/av/committee80/70403p27.ram

The poker discussion starts at 1:27:00, religious guy getting pwned starts at 1:45:30.

[_Apollo_]

OMG. That was awesome to see that religious moron getting pwned.
Are 'You guys' in favour for anything? lol

I'll be laughing for days if I think back at this.

[brimelian]

I have spent my entire career working around the Texas Legislative process. What happened to Menendez' bill yesterday is standard, but the sad fact of the matter is that his legislation has virtually no chance of becoming law this year.

The legislative session ends on May 28th, and there are a number of procedural deadlines in the last month of the session designed to kill bills that aren't moving. The House already has a tremendous backlog of bills that need to be heard before these deadlines start to apply, so the reality is that all house bills need to get out of committee by mid-April to have any chance of making it through the entire process.

Based on what I have heard, Menendez has the votes to get his bill out of committee. However, he probably doesn't have the votes to get it out of the full house. Even if he did have the votes, the bill would have to be scheduled for floor consideration by the House Calendars committee. Given the political composition of that committee, it is unlikely his bill will ever make it back to the house floor.

The most likely scenario is this: Menendez gets his bill out of committee, but it dies in Calendars and never makes it to the floor.

I know this sounds discouraging, but consider this: similar bills have never made it out of committee in past sessions. If Menendez can get this bill out of committee this year, he will have accomplished something that has never been done before. That doesn't help us now...but it will give the bill a fighting chance in the 2009 legislative session.

[Qoheleth]

That's too bad. Anything ordinary people can do to encourage this?

On a side note, any thoughts on why the $million dollar net worth provision?

[brimelian]

[ QUOTE ]
That's too bad. Anything ordinary people can do to encourage this?

On a side note, any thoughts on why the $million dollar net worth provision?

[/ QUOTE ]

I think the advice that others have already given is worthwhile, re: call and write your representatives as well as the committee members. For better or worse, getting new laws passed in Texas is often an iterative process. Repetition is good, and familiarity is even better. Even though the bill may die this session, all those calls and letters will be remembered next session when the bill is heard again. The concept won't be alien to the members who are still around next session. Instead of a member asking "Why on earth would we want to regulate poker?", they will think, "Oh yea, this is the bill that got out of committee and died in Calendars last session. I heard good things about that bill from my constituents last time...I hope it moves."

The wheels of progress grind *very* slowly in Texas politics, but they still move. :-)

As for the $1 million threshold, I'm guessing that is in there so that the state will only have to regulate larger nightclubs, restaurants, and other commercial operations. Having to regulate smaller entities would be an administrative and logistical nightmare and cost more than what the licensing fees would bring in.

If a bill results in a net cost to the state, it is usually dead in the water. I'm certain Menendez structured the bill in this way so it would result in a net revenue gain to the state...otherwise, the committee would have never heard it.

[LinusKS]

Thanks. I was kinda hoping there was something else, but if that's it, that's it.

One nice thing that came out of it is I'd forgotten what a beautiful building the Capital is. And I guess it's impressive we've got legislators working until ten pm - I had no idea.

[Lost Wages]

No one has mentioned that the governor has a strong public stance against gambling. Even if the bill clears all the hurdles, which is unlikely, it is certain to be vetoed.

Lost Wages