HB 2154
AN ACT relating to the definition of private place for gambling criminal
89th Regular Session
Jan 14, 2025 - Jun 2, 2025 • Session ended
Awaiting Committee Assignment
Bill filed, pending referral to House committee
Committee
Not yet assigned
Fiscal Note
Not available
What This Bill Does
Modifies the legal definition of a "private place" in Texas gambling criminal law by explicitly excluding certain locations such as restaurants, taverns, commercial gaming enterprises, and common areas of public buildings. The amendment specifically clarifies that for-profit poker clubs are considered commercial gaming enterprises, which means they are not considered private places under gambling criminal statutes. The changes will apply to offenses committed on or after September 1, 2025, potentially impacting how gambling activities are legally interpreted in these types of establishments.
Subject Areas
Bill Text
relating to the definition of private place for gambling criminal BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS: SECTION 1. Section 47.01(8), Penal Code, is amended to read (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, 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.
Bill Sponsors
Legislators who authored or co-sponsored this bill.
Bill History
Bill filed: AN ACT relating to the definition of private place for gambling criminal
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