Bill Text: TX HJR55 | 2017-2018 | 85th Legislature | Introduced
Bill Title: Proposing a constitutional amendment requiring the legislature to establish a state gaming commission and to authorize and provide for the regulation of gaming conducted at certain locations in this state, authorizing federally recognized Indian tribes to conduct gaming on certain Indian lands, and requiring the governor to call the legislature into special session to consider gaming legislation.
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1-0)
Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-22 - Referred to Licensing & Administrative Procedures [HJR55 Detail]
Download: Texas-2017-HJR55-Introduced.html
| 85R5420 DMS-D | ||
| By: Alvarado | H.J.R. No. 55 | |
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| proposing a constitutional amendment requiring the legislature to | ||
| establish a state gaming commission and to authorize and provide | ||
| for the regulation of gaming conducted at certain locations in this | ||
| state, authorizing federally recognized Indian tribes to conduct | ||
| gaming on certain Indian lands, and requiring the governor to call | ||
| the legislature into special session to consider gaming | ||
| legislation. | ||
| BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: | ||
| SECTION 1. Section 47, Article III, Texas Constitution, is | ||
| amended by amending Subsection (a) and adding Subsections (f), (g), | ||
| and (g-1) to read as follows: | ||
| (a) The Legislature shall pass laws prohibiting lotteries | ||
| and gift enterprises in this State other than those authorized by | ||
| Subsections (b), (d), (d-1), [ |
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| section. | ||
| (f) The Legislature by general law shall establish a state | ||
| gaming commission to administer the laws regulating gaming | ||
| activities authorized under this subsection and may authorize and | ||
| provide for regulation of the conduct in this State of one or more | ||
| types of gaming, including casino gaming, at locations: | ||
| (1) on coastal barrier islands at least 25 miles in | ||
| length that are accessible by a public road on one or more bridges; | ||
| (2) on dredge spoil islands at least 18 miles in length | ||
| that are located in coastal counties; | ||
| (3) for which a license to conduct pari-mutuel | ||
| wagering on horse or greyhound races is in effect; and | ||
| (4) in municipalities with a population of at least | ||
| 675,000. | ||
| (g) This section does not prohibit an Indian tribe or tribal | ||
| organization that was included on the December 30, 1998, list of | ||
| Indian Entities Recognized and Eligible to Receive Services from | ||
| the United States Bureau of Indian Affairs, published in the | ||
| Federal Register by the Secretary of the Interior as required by 25 | ||
| U.S.C. Section 5131, from conducting gaming on land in this State | ||
| that is held in trust for the tribe or organization or that is | ||
| recognized as the tribe's or organization's tribal land by the | ||
| United States in Polk County, Texas, or in El Paso County, Texas. | ||
| The prohibitions described by Subsection (a) of this section do not | ||
| apply to gaming by the tribe or organization on land described by | ||
| this subsection, and the tribe or organization may conduct gaming | ||
| on that land. | ||
| (g-1) Unless the Legislature enacts laws to implement | ||
| Subsection (f) of this section before that date, not later than June | ||
| 1, 2018, the Governor shall call the Legislature into special | ||
| session for the sole purpose of considering and enacting laws to | ||
| implement Subsection (f) of this section. This subsection expires | ||
| January 1, 2019. | ||
| SECTION 2. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be | ||
| submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 7, 2017. | ||
| The ballot shall be printed to provide for voting for or against the | ||
| proposition: "The constitutional amendment requiring the | ||
| legislature to establish a state gaming commission and to authorize | ||
| and provide for the regulation of gaming conducted in this state on | ||
| certain coastal barrier islands, on certain dredge spoil islands in | ||
| coastal counties, at locations for which a license to conduct | ||
| pari-mutuel wagering on horse or greyhound races is in effect, and | ||
| in municipalities with a population of at least 675,000, | ||
| authorizing federally recognized Indian tribes to conduct gaming on | ||
| certain Indian lands, and requiring the governor to call the | ||
| legislature into special session to consider gaming legislation." | ||
