By: Kuempel, et al. (Senate Sponsor - Hinojosa) H.B. No. 3125
         (In the Senate - Received from the House May 8, 2017;
  May 9, 2017, read first time and referred to Committee on State
  Affairs; May 18, 2017, reported favorably by the following vote:  
  Yeas 8, Nays 1; May 18, 2017, sent to printer.)
Click here to see the committee vote
 
 
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
 
AN ACT
 
  relating to charitable raffles conducted by the charitable
  foundations of certain professional sports teams.
         BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
         SECTION 1.  Section 2004.002, Occupations Code, is amended
  by adding Subdivision (1-a) and amending Subdivision (2) to read as
  follows:
               (1-a)  "Debit card" has the meaning assigned by Section
  32.31, Penal Code.
               (2)  "Professional sports team" means:
                     (A)  a team organized in this state that is a
  member of Major League Baseball, the National Basketball
  Association, the National Hockey League, the National Football
  League, [or] Major League Soccer, the American Hockey League, the
  East Coast Hockey League, the American Association of Independent
  Professional Baseball, the Atlantic League of Professional
  Baseball, Minor League Baseball, the National Basketball
  Association Development League, the National Women's Soccer
  League, the Major Arena Soccer League, the United Soccer League, or
  the Women's National Basketball Association;
                     (B)  a person hosting a motorsports racing team
  event sanctioned by the National Association for Stock Car Auto
  Racing (NASCAR), INDYCar, or another nationally recognized
  motorsports racing association at a venue in this state with a
  permanent seating capacity of not less than 75,000; or
                     (C)  an organization hosting a Professional Golf
  Association event.
         SECTION 2.  Section 2004.009(a), Occupations Code, is
  amended to read as follows:
         (a)  A person commits an offense if the person accepts any
  form of payment other than United States currency or a debit card
  for the purchase of a raffle ticket for a charitable raffle
  conducted under this chapter.
         SECTION 3.  This Act takes effect on December 1, 2017, but
  only if the constitutional amendment proposed by the 85th
  Legislature, Regular Session, 2017, to authorize additional
  professional sports team charitable foundations to conduct
  charitable raffles at additional venues is approved by the voters.
  If that amendment is not approved by the voters, this Act has no
  effect.
 
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