Texas House Bill HB1963

Texas 2009 - 81st Regular

• Out of House Committee: 3/23/09
• Voted on by House: 3/31/09
• Out of Senate Committee: 5/6/09
• Voted on by Senate: 5/11/09
• Governor Action: 5/20/09
• Enrolled: 5/13/09
• Passed: 5/20/09

Caption

Relating to eliminating the limitation on lottery advertising expenses based on the lottery prize payout percentage.

Impact

If enacted, HB 1963 could lead to an increase in lottery advertising efforts which may benefit lottery revenues in Texas. Advocates of the bill suggest that larger advertising budgets could attract more participants, thereby increasing overall prize money and benefiting state programs that are funded through lottery revenues. This approach could enhance visibility and accessibility to lottery games across diverse populations in Texas, possibly increasing participation rates.

Summary

House Bill 1963 aims to remove the existing limitation on lottery advertising expenses that are based on the percentage of lottery prize payouts. Currently, there are restrictions designed to control how much can be spent on advertising in relation to the revenue generated from prizes. By eliminating this provision, the bill seeks to allow more flexibility for the Texas Lottery to potentially increase its advertising budget without being constrained by payout percentages.

Contention

There may be concerns regarding transparency and responsible fiscal management if HB 1963 is passed. Opponents might argue that increasing advertising expenses could lead to a greater risk of promoting gambling, particularly among vulnerable populations. Critics could voice fears that removing this limitation may shift priorities away from responsible gaming initiatives, and instead prioritize increased spending on advertisements which could be seen as promoting excessive gambling.