89R6038 PRL-F
By: Shaheen H.B. No. 2154
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
relating to the definition of private place for gambling criminal
offense purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:
SECTION 1. Section 47.01(8), Penal Code, is amended to read
as follows:
(8) "Private place" means a place to which the public
does not have access, and excludes, among other places, streets,
highways, restaurants, taverns, nightclubs, commercial gaming
enterprises, schools, hospitals, and the common areas of apartment
houses, hotels, motels, office buildings, transportation
facilities, and shops. For purposes of this subdivision,
"commercial gaming enterprise" includes a for-profit poker club,
card club, or game room.
SECTION 2. The changes in law made by this Act apply only to
an offense committed on or after the effective date of this Act. An
offense committed before the effective date of this Act is governed
by the law in effect on the date the offense was committed, and the
former law is continued in effect for that purpose. For purposes of
this section, an offense was committed before the effective date of
this Act if any element of the offense occurred before that date.
SECTION 3. This Act takes effect September 1, 2025.