Texas Legislature trying to pass a bill for poker rooms

[wonderwes]

There is current legislation in the Texas Legislature to legalize poker rooms in the state. Texas politics are quite weak, and the legislature only meets on odd number years. There is a current bill already up trying to pass this legislation. All the voting usually happens in the last 2 weeks of the legislature, which I think is around april or may. After that they do not meet till 2009.

If you want to send any emails to a Texas congressman, go to the website. The bill is HB 3186

http://www.texaspokerpac.com/

Highlights of the bill include:

- For live and/or electronic, raked tables allowed in each establishment that meets requirements
- Lottery Commission decides how many tables are allowed in each racetrack
- Charitable poker enabled
- Mandatory dealer training and licensing
- Licensing for distributors of commercial poker equipment
- Money raised will be dedicated to necessary state services
- Criminal penalties for dishonest operators
- Raises over a billion dollars for state services


Personally I hate that the closest casino with a poker room is 4 hrs away. It would be great if this bill passed. We will see how it pans out.

HB 3186

[Wingnut]

This would be awesome, but wouldn't Perry just veto the legislation? When he was Lt Gov, he wouldn't even allow poker/gambling legislation to reach the floor.

-David

[dozer]

Crossing my fingers for my trips to Galveston.

[LuckyTxGuy]

Now that is simply awesome. At first I thought this was a reference to the casino bill that has been proposed in Texas.

I scanned the text of the bill and read large parts of it, but the one thing I didn't see (probably missed it) was the law on where the poker rooms could be located?? I know the casino bill that I mentioned only allowed for something like 12 casinos in the state with 3 being on Texas islands and several spread out by city population. All that being said, I know there is no way I'll get one here in East Texas that is any closer than the 1hr 20min drive to Shreveport, La. If this poker bill allowed the creation of local card rooms that would be awesome!

Another couple things I noticed from the text....

- $100 max buy-in tournaments? Thats odd. So no big TV tourneys would ever be possible....

- $4 max drop with a max $1 bad bad drop. Nice!

- It appears as though NL would be allowed, which I know some states prohibit.

Very cool stuff, thanks to the OP for posting this and I'll definitely be contacting my elected officials and making sure my poker buddies do to!

**Edit** I just saw the part where it reads that no licensed operator could have more than 4 poker tables? What's up with that? 4 tables? [img]/images/graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[djoyce003]

i'd be happy to see it....i'm thinking it will be at horse tracks or what? I will be surprised if it actually passes, but I guess we'll see.

[Black Aces 518]

looks like 4 tables UNLESS at a racetrack. racetrack table #s TBD by Lotto Commission.

Please, 7 lb 14 oz baby Jesus let this happen.

[TxSteve]

my wife's best friend is the assistant for one of Texas' state representatives.

i shot her an email asking her if she'd heard of this bill and if so, what was the buzz.

her response: "not a chance in hell this will pass...too many southern baptists"

when i responded "that's why legislators suck"

she suggested that I run for office.

[rageotones]

even if this doesn't pass the first time, i think this is a good start.

sooner or later these people have to realize that God isn't going to pay for everything, and the money to be made is important.

however, more important than the southern baptists, are the other people that will push very hard, and with lots of money, for this not to pass (i.e. ok and la casinos).

[LuckyTxGuy]

I'm Southern Baptist and so are most of the guys at my home game. I'm sure there will be a fair share against it but don't assume anywhere near all of us will be.

I agree though on the over all chances of it passing. Seems like a long shot and Rageotones is dead on..... Ok and La casinos will do everything in their political and $$ power to stop any form of legalized gambling in Texas. They have way too much at risk. Drive around the parking garages in Shreveport/Bossier and look for the La license plates. Good luck.lol

The 4 table thing still seems pretty silly. If you limit big poker rooms to racetracks, that's a joke and won't help most Texans. That was my hang up with the casino bill that has been mentioned....Houston would probably be the closest one to me and it's over 2 hours away to the north side of Houston. Shreveport is only 1 hr 20 mins.

[Cactus Jack]

If Texas legalized poker ala Calif, I'd go home. How I wish.