Texas, like some other states, has a sunset law. In short, and with certain exceptions, every state agency is subject to being abolished 12 years after it is created, or after the Legislature votes to continue the agency’s existence. In order for an agency to keep going, the Legislature has to pass a law authorizing the agency to continue.
Earlier this afternoon, the Texas House voted 65-81 against a bill that would continue the operations of the Texas Lottery Commission. From what I can tell, this would effectively end the state lottery (and “all charitable bingo, including games at churches and veterans’ halls”).
This is…unexpected. Reading the Statesman‘s coverage, it looks like a lot of the legislators voting against the bill have philosophical problems with the idea of a state lottery. Of course, if they do away with the lottery, that blows a $2 billion hole in the state budget, so there’s a chance that the ledge might reconsider. But for right now, this looks like this year’s “pass the popcorn” Texas Legislature moment.
Edited to add: Well, isn’t this special? The House took a lunch break not long after the vote. Then they came back and voted again: this time, the bill continuing the lottery commission was approved 91-53.