Vote On Poker In Texas Legislature/Please Help

[FiveAce]

A bill to legalize and regulate poker in the State of Texas is going to committee on April 3. I received this email from the PPA. If you are in the State of Texas please read and email and/or call the representatives listed. Below is the email sent out by the PPA. If you are in Texas then please help. Thanks.

John

Dear Texas Poker Player,

As you know, the Poker Players Alliance is fighting on your behalf in Washington, D.C. and at the state level to defend your right to play poker. The fight for legal, safe and fair poker is taking place here in Texas right now.

The Texas Poker PAC is an ally of the PPA and has worked hard to get great legislation introduced that will regulate and expand legal poker in Texas! House Bill HB 3186 was filed by Representative Jose Menendez of San Antonio. This will have a public hearing on Tuesday, April 3rd in the House Committee on Licensing and Administrative Procedures and poker in the great state of Texas needs your support.

This is a unique opportunity to have your voice heard in support of the game you love! Testifying in favor of the bill will be some high profile folks like Gavin Smith, Erick Lindgren, Lyle Berman, Dallas DA Craig Watkins and others.

Please join us in Austin on the afternoon of April 3rd to make your voice heard! The hearing will be held in the Capital Extension Building (North side of the Capitol) Room E2.030 (3rd Level Downstairs) at approximately 2 PM. I would love you to join me and other members of the PPA and stand up for Poker in Texas!

Click here to let others know you'll be there.

If you cannot make it to Austin then, please click here to send an email or call the committee members' Austin offices. Here is a list of Committee members with their e-mails and phone numbers. We encourage you to call for poker in Texas.

House Committee on Licensing and Administrative Procedures

Ismael "Kino" Flores (D- Mission) Chairman
(512) 463-0704
Kino.Flores@house.state.tx.us

Charlie Geren (R- Houston)
(512) 463-0610
charlie.geren@house.state.tx.us

Carl Isett (R-Lubbock)
(512) 463-0676
carl.isett@house.state.tx.us

Tony Goolsby (R-Dallas)
(512) 463-0454
tony.goolsby@house.state.tx.us

Delwin Jones (R- Lubbock)
(512) 463-0542
delwin.jones@house.state.tx.us

Senfronia Thompson (D- Houston)
(512) 463-0720
senfronia.thompson@house.state.tx.us

Mike "Tuffy" Hamilton (R- Mauriceville)
(512) 463-0412
mike.hamilton@house.state.tx.us

Borris Miles (D- Houston)
(512) 463-0518
borris.miles@house.state.tx.us

Chente Quintanilla (D- El Paso)
(512) 463-0613
chente.quintanilla@house.state.tx.us



You can even cut and paste the following text into your email or use this as a template for your phone call:

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Dear Representative,

I am a Texas voter and I support the expansion and regulation of legal poker in Texas. Poker is a game of skill that can bring hundreds of millions of dollars to the state both directly and indirectly. Please support HB 3186 filed by Representative Menendez when it is heard in the Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee on April 3rd.

Thank you in advance for joining with the tens of thousands of law abiding poker players in Texas who support this legislation.

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Please visit the Texas Poker PAC today, http://www.texaspokerpac.com/ and signup for their email list. They will keep you updated on the bill progress and what you can do to finally bring Hold’em back to Texas!

Regards,

Michael Bolcerek, President

Poker Players Alliance

[Ron Burgundy]

I got this too. What exactly does this bill intend to do? Does anyone know the specifics?

I will definitely send emails to all those reps. I won't be able to make it to the hearing though.

[Marklar]

so it sounds like there's a chance of legal card rooms showing up across the state? That would be cool. Oklahoma is a 3 hour drive for me.

[Ron Burgundy]

Here's my email, I tried to keep it as short and to the point as possible. I don't think the "poker is a game of skill" argument is going to do anything.


Dear representative Whatever,

I am a Texas voter, and I strongly support the legalization and regulation of poker in Texas. Please support HB 3186 filed by Representative Menendez when it is heard in the Licensing and Administrative Procedures Committee on April 3rd.

Recently, Texas Holdem has exploded in popularity. I think it's a shame that the state in which it was invented, can't benefit from the millions of dollars in revenue that it creates. States with legalized poker such as Nevada, California, and New Jersey have much more money to spend on public schools and health care.

Legalized poker will also attract tourism, and help our economy by creating jobs.


Thank you,
Ron Burgundy

[Stephen H]

I went and read this bill to see what's up. There's a few oddities, but honestly, fixing minor aspects of the bill once it's passed is the easy part, so I'm not really willing to quibble over trivialities. Overall I would rather this bill pass than fail, so it gets my support.

"Poker is a game of skill" is a required argument for Texas; if it's not determined to be a game of skill, then it requires a state constitutional amendment to be legalized.

Also, specifically in the verbage of the bill is a requirement that any funds generated above and beyond those required to regulate seem to be earmarked for the homeless in various methods; so the public schools message isn't as relevant as I'd prefer. Still, bottom line is more $$ generated for the government by this - and it's money that right now goes to other states (OK and LA).

I think I'll be making a few phone calls or at least sending an email out to all of these, although actually making it downtown on the 3rd isn't likely to happen.

[Cactus Jack]

Here's a copy of the letter I sent. Doubtless it will do no good, but I had to try.

[ QUOTE ]
Dear Sir,

My name is (Cactus Jack). My parents live in Hilltop Lakes, near College Station. My father is on the school board at Normangee. I'm a Native Texan living in Las Vegas. I'm an expatriate because I cannot make my living in my native state. I, sir, am a poker player. I play for much of my living.

As your committee considers the bill regarding legalizing poker in Texas, please keep in mind that there are many like me out there who would love to come home. Poker is a game of skill, much more like bridge or dominoes than blackjack or any other games which are played against a "house." The odds do favor a skilled player, but unskilled players do have a chance of winning. No player of casino games has a chance of winning. This is what differentiates the game of poker.

I also hope your committee will consider the situation in California, as opposed to Nevada. In California, much of the poker is played in casinos licensed only for poker. The games generate an enormous amount of tax revenue for the State. The games are regulated and, I believe I'm correct here, have shown no increase in crime in the areas surrounding the card rooms.

All we ask of you is a fair hearing, as we would ask for a fair game, which at this point we cannot be guaranteed of getting in Texas. Illegal card games are just that, illegal, as well as dangerous. Players have to travel to other states, leaving their money there. Or, like myself, have to live in states where it is legal, rather than in my home state where my heart still is, and my self belongs. Please give us another, and far better choice.

Sincerely,

(Cactus Jack)
Las Vegas, NV


[/ QUOTE ]

Gotta hope for the best. I'd move back home in a flash.

CJ

[luvrhino]

I just called everyone on the House Committee on Licensing and Administrative Procedures. The aides were familiar with the bill and had received approximately 200 e-mails.

Unfortunately, it didn't sound like they had received all that many phone calls.

It only took about 20 minutes to call all nine members and relate my talking points (tax revenue, poker is a game of skill, and increased safety for Texas citizens (cf. the prevalent illegal card rooms)).

The hearing is tomorrow afternoon, so now is great time to call.

[Guthrie]

Well, as luck would have it, two of those Republican mullahs represent my hometown, Lubbock, so I gave them both a call and reminded them that when Mullah Frist shoved that obscene fatwa through last fall, I abandoned the Republican Party after 30 years, and if they ever expect to see me vote for another Republican, they better support this bill.