| 1 | 1 | | 87R10361 ADM-D |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | By: Guerra H.J.R. No. 102 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | A JOINT RESOLUTION |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | proposing a constitutional amendment to authorize the operation of |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | casino gaming in certain state coastal areas to provide additional |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | money for property tax relief; providing for occupational licensing |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | and certification; authorizing fees; limiting certain taxes and |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | fees. |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | SECTION 1. Section 47(a), Article III, Texas Constitution, |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | is amended to read as follows: |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | (a) The Legislature shall pass laws prohibiting lotteries |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | and gift enterprises in this State other than those authorized by |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | Subsections (b), (d), (d-1), and (e) of this section and by Section |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | 47a of this article. |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | SECTION 2. Article III, Texas Constitution, is amended by |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | adding Section 47a to read as follows: |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | Sec. 47a. (a) The legislature by general law in accordance |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | with this section shall authorize the operation of casino gaming in |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | this state in which individuals for consideration play games of |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | chance that award prizes and are operated by persons licensed or |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | otherwise authorized by this state to conduct casino gaming to |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | provide additional money for property tax relief. A general law |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | enacted in accordance with this section must: |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | (1) allow casino gaming operated by appropriately |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | licensed persons at locations in this state that are within 200 |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | miles of the Gulf of Mexico; |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | (2) provide: |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | (A) a comprehensive licensing and certification |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | program, including criminal history record information, any |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | necessary background investigations, and licensing and |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | certification fees, to govern a person that manages casino gaming |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | operations in this state, that acts as a gaming employee, or that |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | maintains, manufactures, distributes, sells, or leases casino |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | games for use or play in this state; |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | (B) procedures for the state agency responsible |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | for maintaining criminal history record information for this state |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | to grant access to the information to the state agency responsible |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | for licensing and certification under Paragraph (A) of this |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | subdivision; and |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | (C) procedures for monitoring and inspecting |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | casino gaming operations as necessary to protect the public health, |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | welfare, and safety, to preserve the integrity of this state and |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | gaming operations in the state, and to prevent financial loss to |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | this state; and |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | (3) prohibit and impose criminal penalties for the |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | possession and operation of all gaming devices other than devices |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | operated in connection with authorized casino gaming operations or |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | gaming devices otherwise authorized by state law. |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | (b) In the general law enacted in accordance with Subsection |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | (a) of this section, the legislature may designate the counties in |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | which a casino gaming operator's license may be issued. |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | (c) All shipments of casino gaming equipment or other gaming |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | devices into, out of, or within this state authorized under this |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | section or a law enacted under this section are legal shipments of |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | the devices and are exempt from the provisions of 15 U.S.C. Sections |
|---|
| 59 | 59 | | 1171-1178 prohibiting the transportation of gambling devices. |
|---|
| 60 | 60 | | SECTION 3. This proposed constitutional amendment shall be |
|---|
| 61 | 61 | | submitted to the voters at an election to be held November 2, 2021. |
|---|
| 62 | 62 | | The ballot shall be printed to permit voting for or against the |
|---|
| 63 | 63 | | proposition: "The constitutional amendment authorizing the |
|---|
| 64 | 64 | | operation of casino gaming in certain state coastal areas to |
|---|
| 65 | 65 | | provide additional money for property tax relief." |
|---|