Monitoring the Session

HB 2154

poker clubs and game rooms never count as private places

Died in committee

Verdict: No flags

No flagsInitial review
Rep. Matt ShaheenRHouse 66

Initial review · graded Oct 20, 2026 · Headline, summary and grade are analysis of the bill text, not a finding about any person · How we grade

Caption

relating to the definition of private place for gambling criminal offense purposes.

Caption from analyzed text · version I.

Summary

Commercial gaming enterprises are out of the private place definition.

This bill changes the Penal Code definition of a "private place" for gambling law so that commercial gaming enterprises, including for-profit poker clubs, card clubs and game rooms, can never count as a private place. That touches people who run or play at for-profit poker and card clubs and game rooms, which can no longer claim to be a private place under the gambling chapter. Starting September 1, 2025, gambling at those businesses is treated the same as gambling in a restaurant, tavern or other public spot for gambling offense purposes.

Labels

Labels: NEVER GOT A HEARING. Filed Jan 28, 2025 and referred to the House Licensing & Administrative Procedures committee. No public hearing. The bill died.

Receipt

The receipt

89R-HB2154 · 2025-01-28

SOLD BY

Rep. Matt ShaheenRHouse 66

ITEM

relating to the definition of private place for gambling criminal offense purposes.

WHAT IT DOES

Commercial gaming enterprises are out of the private place definition.

This bill changes the Penal Code definition of a "private place" for gambling law so that commercial gaming enterprises, including for-profit poker clubs, card clubs and game rooms, can never count as a private place. That touches people who run or play at for-profit poker and card clubs and game rooms, which can no longer claim to be a private place under the gambling chapter. Starting September 1, 2025, gambling at those businesses is treated the same as gambling in a restaurant, tavern or other public spot for gambling offense purposes.

CHARGES

[ ] NONE FOUND

TOTAL

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

HISTORY

  1. Filed
  2. Read first time
  3. Referred to Licensing & Administrative Procedures
FILED UNDER

No verified beat found.

No flags

THANK YOU FOR CHECKING THE RECEIPT

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

CAMPAIGN PAID FOR BY

Matt Shaheen

Donors

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$402KCourt Reform Action for Families Texas PAC$100KTexans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$86K

Not tied to this bill.

Sources

The author's campaign account only. Own money and internal transfers are separate on the member page.

Derived itemized flow · Oct 30, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Texas Conservative Majority PAC$401,656.00

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$401,656.00

Cash
$60,000.00
Paid by others
$341,656.00
Total
$401,656.00
canvassing $317,206.00polling $24,450.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 25, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101069212, 101071870.

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC$100,000.00

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC

$100,000.00

Cash
$100,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$100,000.00

Also funds 32 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 20, 2026 to Oct 14, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 22, 2026 to Oct 10, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101069212, 101071870.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC$85,700.00

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$85,700.00

Cash
$50,000.00
Paid by others
$35,700.00
Total
$85,700.00
advertising $20,000.00polling $15,700.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 11, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101028938, 101069212, 101071870.

Money

Missing data does not establish zero giving. Display amounts are rounded.

×

Texas Conservative Majority PAC

$401,656.00

Cash
$60,000.00
Paid by others
$341,656.00
Total
$401,656.00
canvassing $317,206.00polling $24,450.00

Also funds 42 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jan 23, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 25, 2026 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101069212, 101071870.

×

Court Reform Action for Families Texas PAC

$100,000.00

Cash
$100,000.00
Paid by others
$0.00
Total
$100,000.00

Also funds 32 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Feb 20, 2026 to Oct 14, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Sep 22, 2026 to Oct 10, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101069212, 101071870.

×

Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC

$85,700.00

Cash
$50,000.00
Paid by others
$35,700.00
Total
$85,700.00
advertising $20,000.00polling $15,700.00

Also funds 124 other sitting lawmakers.

Derived recipient stock · Jul 10, 2024 to Oct 23, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

TEC account match.

Team
Sources

Derived itemized flow · Aug 11, 2025 to Sep 30, 2026. State data as of Nov 4, 2026.

Derived itemized contributions on live regular reports and uncovered special-session dates. Internal account transfers and daily reports are excluded.

Report IDs: 101028938, 101069212, 101071870.

Votes

No floor vote loaded for this bill.

Fiscal

No fiscal note in the loaded record.

How this was graded

Analysis of text version I by claude-opus-5-5, Oct 20, 2026, against the published rubric.

Sources

Texas House · Filed Jan 28, 2025

03/14/2025 H Referred to Licensing & Administrative Procedures: Mar 14 2025 2:36PM

Texas Legislature Online · Introduced

Data snapshot Oct 26, 2026 at 4:20 AM CDT. Grades, charges, quotes and corrections follow the published record.

House committee · Licensing & Administrative Procedures · Final status: Died in committee

Subjects

Amusements, Games, Sports

Crimes--Miscellaneous

Criminal Procedure--General

GAMBLING

Text

The text as introduced · 206 words

89R6038 PRL-F

By: Shaheen
H.B. No. 2154

A BILL TO BE ENTITLED

AN ACT

relating to the definition of private place for gambling criminal

offense purposes.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF TEXAS:

SECTION 1. Section 47.01(8), Penal Code, is amended to read

as follows:

(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,

card club, or game room.

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.