The bill, H.B. No. 4172, aims to regulate charitable bingo in Texas and introduces provisions for the establishment of a nonprofit corporation to promote and advertise charitable bingo activities. Key amendments include changes to Section 2001.407 of the Occupations Code, which now allows licensed distributors to receive bingo equipment or supplies from licensed authorized organizations under specific conditions, such as if the items are defective or not ordered. Additionally, the bill establishes a new Section 2001.4151, permitting a statewide organization to form a nonprofit corporation to assist various stakeholders in the charitable bingo sector, including licensed organizations and distributors.

Further amendments include updates to advertising regulations in Section 2001.415, allowing licensed organizations and the newly formed nonprofit corporation to advertise bingo events and the prizes offered. The bill also modifies the prize fee structure in Section 2001.502, increasing the threshold for cash prize fees from $5 to $100 and allowing organizations to remit a portion of these fees to the nonprofit corporation. The bill is set to take effect on September 1, 2025, with specific provisions in Section 5 taking effect earlier on October 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: Occupations Code 2001.407, Occupations Code 2001.415, Occupations Code 2001.451, Occupations Code 2001.502 (Occupations Code 2001)