Our zany Texas legislature got so excited about right wing whacko attacks on the morality of the lottery here in Texas, that they voted to abolish the lottery commission a couple of days ago....meaning the end of the lottery. And, the $2 billion in educational funding that the lottery generates for the state every year. They changed their minds a couple of hours later. Not surprisingly, mostly republicans.
AUSTIN — The Texas House on Tuesday stuck a fork in the state lottery commission then resuscitated the agency hours later, realizing that dissolving it would create an unwieldy budget gap for schools and charities that depend on their piece of the pie.
It created high drama in the House, as lawmakers stunned many in the chamber by voting against a bill to ensure the Texas Lottery Commission continues operating for the next 12 years.
"The Lottery Commission is gone," Rep. Linda Harper Brown, R-Irving, declared from the dais after the House voted 81-65 against a sunset bill to continue the commission.
A second vote reversed the action with a 92-53 tally.
Led by House Republicans, the vote to abolish the commission jeopardized the future of the Texas Lotto and other games like scratch-off tickets and charity bingo. It also put in limbo lottery revenues used to fund state services, including $2.2 billion for schools.
Within hours - and after some serious behind-the-scenes lobbying by House leaders - lawmakers returned from a lunch break and decided to bring the bill back to the floor for more debate.