H.B. No. 2154 amends the definition of "private place" in Section 47.01(8) of the Texas Penal Code, specifically for the purposes of gambling criminal offenses. The bill clarifies that a "private place" is one that is not accessible to the public and explicitly excludes various locations such as streets, highways, restaurants, taverns, nightclubs, and now includes commercial gaming enterprises, schools, hospitals, and the common areas of apartment houses, hotels, motels, office buildings, transportation facilities, and shops. Additionally, the bill defines "commercial gaming enterprise" to include for-profit poker clubs, card clubs, or game rooms. The changes introduced by this bill will only apply to offenses committed on or after its effective date of September 1, 2025. Any offenses that occurred prior to this date will continue to be governed by the previous law in effect at the time of the offense. This ensures that individuals are not retroactively penalized under the new definitions.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Penal Code 47.01 (Penal Code 47)