Texas State Senator Jose Menendez (D-San Antonio) has introduced a companion bill to formally legalize social-poker clubs in Texas. Menendez's Senate Bill 1681 was filed last week and is identical in core language to the Texas House Bill (HB 2345), which was introduced by State Representative Ryan Guillen (R-Rio Grande City) in February.
Though introduced, Menendez's bill has yet to be assigned to a committee and will likely receive little consideration until Rep. Guillen's lower-chamber bill generates significant support. Guillen's HB 2345 languished for nearly a month before receiving its initial House floor reading and being assigned to the Licensing & Administrative Procedures Committee on Thursday.
As with HB 2345, Sen. Menendez's new SB 1681 was introduced with the support of Texans for Hold'em, a pro-social-poker lobbying interest created by the owners of four of Texas's largest social-poker clubs.
Return to poker legislation for Menendez
Senator Menendez's legislative interest in bringing live poker to a wider Texas audience stretches back many years. Before becoming a state senator in 2015, he served a portion of the San Antonio area as a state representative. A poker player himself, he introduced at least three bills that would have legalized card rooms in Texas.
